A tragic case of the Chandipura virus has resulted in the death of a four-year-old girl in Gujarat, marking the state’s first confirmed fatality due to this infection. Health authorities have reported a total of 29 cases, with 14 additional deaths suspected to be linked to the virus.
The child, from Mota Kanthariya village in the Aravalli district, succumbed at the civil hospital in Himatnagar. According to Raj Sutariya, Chief District Health Officer in Sabarkantha, her test results confirmed the presence of the Chandipura virus.
Additionally, a patient from Udaipur in Rajasthan, receiving treatment in a state hospital, has also died under suspected similar circumstances. The suspected fatalities have been noted across several districts, including Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Mahisagar, Mehsana, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Ahmedabad, Morbi, and GMC.
Recent reports indicate that the virus has also spread to Kheda, Gandhinagar, Panchmahal, and Jamnagar districts. Patients from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are also being treated in Gujarat hospitals.
Understanding the Chandipura Virus
Chandipura virus is classified as an arbovirus within the vesicular virus genus of the Rhabdoviridae family. The primary vectors for transmission are phlebotomine sandflies, although ticks and mosquitoes can occasionally spread the virus. Children are particularly vulnerable to infection, with the virus first identified in Chandipura village, Maharashtra, in 1965.
Symptoms of Infection
The onset of Chandipura virus infection is characterized by a sudden high fever, followed by severe headaches, vomiting, convulsions, and changes in mental status. Health officials continue to monitor the situation closely as they work to manage the outbreak.
