India, April 18 -- Maharashtra has reported its first case of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) this year, with a seven-month-old boy in Washim testing positive for the infection. This is likely to be the first confirmed case in the state, health officials said.

Initially, the boy was suspected to be infected with an influenza-like illness (ILI) but later, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests confirmed HMPV on March 30, 2026. He was subsequently admitted to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur, and was recently discharged after being successfully treated for the infection; said Dr Raju Sule, state surveillance officer, public health department, Maharashtra.

Dr Sule said that this is likely to be the first case of HMPV...