4 min readNew DelhiAug 7, 2026 10:56 AM IST
First published on: Jul 24, 2026 at 05:58 PM IST
Two girls from Rajasthan have died while undergoing treatment in Gujarat in recent days after testing positive for the Chandipura virus (CHPV).
With cases often reported during the monsoon season in Gujarat, the Rajasthan Health Department is now planning to step up surveillance in the bordering western districts of Dungarpur, Sirohi and Udaipur.
As of Friday (July 24), nine confirmed CHPV deaths have been reported in the current outbreak, of which seven are from Gujarat and two from Rajasthan. Here is what to know about the virus and its management.
What is CHPV infection and how is it transmitted?
CHPV is a virus of the Rhabdoviridae family, which also includes other members such as the lyssavirus that causes rabies. Several species of sandflies, like Phlebotomine sandflies and Phlebotomus papatasi, and some mosquito species, such as Aedes aegypti (which is also the vector for dengue), are considered vectors of CHPV.
The virus resides in the salivary glands of these insects and can be transmitted to humans or other vertebrates, like domestic animals, through bites. The infection caused by the virus can then reach the central nervous system, which can lead to encephalitis — inflammation of the active tissues of the brain.
What are the symptoms of CHPV infection?
The CHPV infection presents initially with flu-like symptoms, such as acute onset of fever, body ache, and headache. It may then progress to altered sensorium or seizures and encephalitis.
Retrospective studies from India have also reported other symptoms such as respiratory distress, bleeding tendencies, or anaemia.
The infection often progresses rapidly after encephalitis, which may then lead to mortality within 24-48 hours of hospitalisation, according to studies. Susceptibility has largely remained limited to children below 15 years.
How can the infection be managed?
The infection can only be symptomatically managed as currently there is no specific antiretroviral therapy or vaccine available for treatment. As a result, it becomes crucial to manage brain inflammation to prevent mortality.
Disease progression can be as rapid as a patient reporting high fever in the morning, and their kidneys or liver being affected by the evening. This makes it harder to manage the symptoms, according to several paediatricians.
Which are the worst-affected regions in India?
The CHPV infection was first isolated in 1965 while investigating a dengue/chikungunya outbreak in Maharashtra. However, one of the most significant outbreaks of the disease in India was seen in 2003-04 in states such as Maharashtra, northern Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, with the three states reporting more than 300 deaths of children.
Gujarat, during the 2004 outbreak, saw a case fatality rate (CFR) of around 78% while CFR in Andhra Pradesh, during the 2003 outbreak, was pegged at around 55%.
The infection has largely remained endemic to central India, where the population of CHPV infection-spreading sandflies and mosquitoes is higher.
Dr Rakesh Joshi, medical superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and paediatric surgeon, earlier told The Indian Express that the outbreaks are often reported in rural, tribal and peripheral areas, and the same may have a correlation with the prevalence of sandflies in these areas. He added that there is also a seasonal aspect to the infection where outbreaks are reported more when the sandflies’ population increases.
Gujarat-based paediatrician Dr Rajesh Jeswani earlier said, “A lot of kutcha houses also use cowdung paint or maybe making cowdung cakes, which in turn attracts sandflies. Additionally, the outbreaks are more pronounced because sandflies multiply more during the monsoon season.”
This is an updated version of an explainer first published in 2024.
Susceptibility for the chandipura virus has largely remained limited to children below 15 years. (File photo/representational) 
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