Four children die due to suspected Chandipura virus infection

Chandipura virus causes fever, with symptoms similar to flu, and acute encephalitis (inflammation of brain). The pathogen is a member of the Vesiculovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae. It is transmitted by vectors like mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Chief District Health Officer of Sabarkantha, Raj Sutariya, said: “Four children have died of suspected infection of Chandipura virus – one from Sabarkantha, two from neighbouring Aravalli and one from Udaipur in Rajasthan.”

The two children being treated at the hospital are also from Rajasthan, he added.

Meanwhile, Sutariya said that they have started taking preventive measures in a 3-km radius of the houses from where the suspected cases have been reported. The measures include sprinking medicinal powders, mosquito controlling, creating awareness and surveillance of suspected cases.

To curb the infection, the district authorities have deployed teams to execure preventive measures, including dusting to kill sandflies in affected areas, officials said.