NIV Pune Receives Samples of Suspected Chandipura Virus Cases from Gujarat
Sabarkantha/Pune, 13th July 2024: Four children have passed away, and two others are currently receiving medical care in Sabarkantha district, Gujarat, due to a suspected infection with the Chandipura virus, an official reported today.
The two children undergoing treatment are admitted to Himmat Nagar Civil Hospital in Sabarkantha district.
The Chandipura virus is a rare and potentially fatal pathogen known to cause fever, flu-like symptoms, and acute encephalitis (brain inflammation). It spreads through vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies, often leading to rapid illness progression, coma, and, in severe cases, death.
Chief District Health Officer Raj Sutariya stated that blood samples from all six children have been dispatched to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for confirmation, with results awaited.
Paediatricians at Himmat Nagar Civil Hospital suspected the Chandipura virus after the deaths of four children on 10th July. Two other children admitted with similar symptoms are also believed to be infected, Sutariya added.
Among the deceased, one child was from the Sabarkantha district, two from the neighboring Aravalli district, and one from Rajasthan. The two children currently hospitalized are also from Rajasthan, according to Sutariya.
Authorities in Rajasthan have been notified about the suspected viral infection-related deaths, and samples of all six children, including the deceased, have been sent to NIV Pune, Sutariya confirmed.
To contain the infection, district officials have mobilized teams to implement preventive measures, including dusting to eradicate sandflies in affected areas.
