Chandipura virus is rapidly spreading in Gujarat. So far, 71 suspected cases have surfaced, with 27 fatalities. Suspected cases have been found in 23 districts of the state. In Sabarkantha, there are 8 cases, Aravalli 4, Mahisagar 2, Kheda 5, Mehsana 4, Rajkot 2, Surendranagar 2, Ahmedabad city 4, Gandhinagar 5, Panchmahal 11, Jamnagar 5, Morbi 4, Gandhinagar city 2, Chhota Udaipur 2, Dahod 2, Vadodara 1, Narmada 1, Banaskantha 2, Vadodara city 1, Bhavnagar 1, Devbhumi Dwarka 1, Rajkot municipal 1, and Kutch also has one suspected case.
Sipakaranta has 1 case, Aravalli 2, Mehsana 2, Gandhinagar 1, Panchmahal 1, Morbi 1, and Vadodara 1 patient has been found infected with Chandipura virus. Out of Gujarat's 71 suspected cases, 27 patients have died. This includes Sabarkantha 2, Aravalli 3, Mahisagar 1, Mehsana 2, Rajkot 2, Surendranagar 1, Ahmedabad city 3, Gandhinagar 1, Panchmahal 4, Morbi 3, Gandhinagar municipal 1, Dahod 2, Vadodara 1, and Devbhumi Dwarka 1. Currently, 41 patients are hospitalized and 3 have recovered. In response to the virus's spread, health department teams have inspected 17,248 homes, screening 121,826 individuals.
The first case associated with this virus was reported in Maharashtra in 1966. It was identified in Chandipura in Nagpur, hence the name Chandipura virus. Subsequent outbreaks were reported in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat between 2004 to 2006 and again in 2019. Chandipura virus is an RNA virus that primarily spreads through female Phlebotomine sandflies. Aedes mosquitoes are also responsible for its spread.
What are the Symptoms of the Chandipura Virus?
Patients infected with Chandipura virus often exhibit fever. It presents flu-like symptoms and severe encephalitis. Encephalitis is a condition that causes swelling in the brain.
