Bharuch reports first suspected Chandipura virus death

Blood sample of the boy has been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune and the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar for testing. Earlier, samples of the two other patients, both minors, with suspected CHPV, had been sent for testing.

“Of three samples sent to GBRC and NIV, the report of the first suspected patient, a four-year-old boy from Ghanikhut village, turned up to be negative on Friday. The reports of the other two samples are awaited,” Dhulera said.

Health department officials, meanwhile, visited the deceased’s house at Khareta village on Friday evening. “We have cleaned the village and also held an awareness campaign in the village about symptoms of Chandipura virus. The sarpanches of villages have been told to immediately contact the district health authorities if they come across any patient suffering from high-grade fever, convulsions and vomiting,” Dhulera said.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Bharuch Collector Dr Tushar Sumera said, “…We have instructed an entomologist to visit both Khareta and Ghanikhut villages to carry out an inspection.” This was after health department officials from Bharuch met Sumera on Friday to request him that an entomologist from Bharuch Agriculture University should visit Ghanikhut and Khareta villages.