Daijiworld Media Network - Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, Aug 4: Twenty-two children have died due to Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection in Gujarat during the current monsoon season, with 35 confirmed cases reported out of 184 suspected infections, State Health Minister Praful Panseriya said on Monday.

Addressing the media, Panseriya said a total of 184 suspected cases have been recorded across the state so far. Of these, 35 samples have tested positive for Chandipura virus, while the results of 11 samples are still awaited.

"Out of the cases reported so far, 22 children have died due to Chandipura virus," the minister said, adding that all affected patients are below the age of 15 years.

Seven children are currently undergoing treatment at civil hospitals in Gandhinagar, Rajkot and other districts. According to the minister, patients admitted to civil hospitals in Gandhinagar, Sabarkantha-Himmatnagar, Patan, Rajkot and Bhavnagar are receiving specialised treatment under the supervision of expert doctors.

Panseriya said the reported cases are spread across different parts of the state and are not confined to any particular village or locality.

To contain the spread of the disease, health authorities have intensified pesticide spraying in areas with significant animal husbandry activity to eliminate sandflies, the primary vectors responsible for transmitting the virus.

The state government has also directed all government and private paediatric hospitals to immediately admit children showing symptoms of Chandipura virus infection to intensive care units equipped with oxygen and ventilator support. The objective is to ensure prompt treatment and prevent serious complications such as multiple organ failure.

Chandipura encephalitis is a viral disease that primarily spreads through sandflies and other insects, causing inflammation of the brain. The Chandipura virus was first isolated in 1965 from a patient in Chandipura village in Maharashtra's Nagpur district.