22 children die of Chandipura virus in Gujarat this monsoon
Gujarat has reported 184 suspected cases of the virus so far, of which 35 have tested positive, while the results of 11 samples are awaited, Health Minister Praful Panseriya said
In the current monsoon season, 22 children in Gujarat have tragically lost their lives due to the Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection, according to State Health Minister Praful Panseriya. Seven others remain in treatment, while 184 suspected cases have been reported in total, with 35 testing positive. The affected patients are all under the age of 15.
The minister informed that the patients are being treated in civil hospitals located in Gandhinagar, Himmatnagar, Patan, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar, receiving specialized care. He assured that medical professionals are closely monitoring the health of these children.
The affected areas are spread across the entire State and not confined to a specific village. To prevent further spread, health teams are conducting pesticide spraying in regions with animal husbandry activities to control sandflies, which are the primary transmitters of the virus. The Health Department has mandated all government and private paediatric hospitals to immediately admit children displaying symptoms of the infection to intensive care units with oxygen and ventilator support to avert complications such as multiple organ failure.
Chandipura encephalitis is a viral disease that leads to brain inflammation and is primarily spread through sandflies and other insects. The virus was initially identified in 1965 in Chandipura village of Maharashtra’s Nagpur district.
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