Gujarat, July 17 – Since July 10, six children have died due to suspected Chandipura virus in Gujarat, raising the total number of cases to 12, according to state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel.
“Samples from the 12 patients have been sent to Pune’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) for confirmation,” Patel stated on Monday.
Chandipura virus causes fever, with flu-like symptoms and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). It is transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sand flies, and belongs to the Vesiculovirus genus of the Rhabdoviridae family.
The affected patients include four from Sabarkantha district, three from Aravalli, one each from Mahisagar and Kheda in Gujarat, two from Rajasthan, and one from Madhya Pradesh, all treated in Gujarat.
“Six deaths due to suspected Chandipura virus have been reported in the state, but only after sample results will it be clear whether they were caused by the virus,” Patel said. “Five out of the six deaths occurred at the civil hospital in Himatnagar, Sabarkantha district. All 12 samples, including eight from patients at this hospital, have been sent to NIV for confirmation.”
Paediatricians at the Himatnagar civil hospital initially suspected the Chandipura virus after four children died on July 10 and their samples were sent for testing. Later, four more children at the hospital exhibited similar symptoms.
“Chandipura virus is not contagious. However, intensive surveillance is underway in the affected areas. We have screened 18,646 individuals in 4,487 houses. The health department is working around the clock to prevent the disease’s spread,” Patel added.