Health authorities in Gujarat have confirmed 35 cases of Chandipura virus infection among children under 15, resulting in 22 deaths, with 184 suspected cases under investigation across multiple districts.
Gujarat's health department has declared a high alert status following a significant outbreak of Chandipura virus among the state's child population. According to Health Minister Praful Pansheriya, 35 confirmed cases have been identified out of 184 suspected infections reported across various districts. The outbreak has claimed 22 lives, while 11 test results remain pending and six patients have recovered. Seven individuals currently require specialist treatment at civil hospitals in Gandhinagar, Sabarkantha-Himatnagar, Patan, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar.
Chandipura vesiculovirus, named after a village in Maharashtra where the first case was documented in 1965, is an RNA virus transmitted primarily through vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies. The infection particularly affects children between nine months and fourteen years of age. According to infectious disease specialist Dr. Neha Khan, the virus causes initial symptoms including fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, but can progress to brain inflammation or encephalitis, resulting in convulsions, altered consciousness, and seizures. Notably, the virus does not spread between individuals.
The health department has implemented multiple containment measures, including deployment of ground teams to execute preventive protocols. Residents have been advised to seal wall cracks that may harbor sandflies, while intensive insecticide spraying operations target cattle-rearing areas. Public and private pediatric facilities have been instructed to admit symptomatic patients immediately to intensive care units equipped with oxygen and ventilators to prevent complications such as organ failure. Medical experts have noted that disease risk increases during rainy seasons, and currently no approved vaccine exists for preventing Chandipura infection.
