Four children die in Gujarat from suspected Chandipura virus infection

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Four children have succumbed to suspected Chandipura virus infection in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district, while two others are receiving treatment at the Himmatnagar civil hospital, an official statement said on Saturday.

In the wake of the outbreak, district authorities have initiated preventive measures, including dusting to eliminate sandflies in the affected areas to curb the spread of the infection.

The deaths occurred on July 10 and one of the deceased was from Sabarkantha, two were from the neighbouring Aravalli district, and the fourth was from Rajasthan. The two children undergoing treatment also hail from Rajasthan.

Rajasthan authorities have been notified about the death due to the suspected viral infection.

The Chandipura virus, a member of the Rhabdoviridae family, leads to symptoms akin to flu and can cause acute encephalitis, a severe inflammation of the brain. It was first identified in 1965 in Maharashtra and has been linked to various outbreaks of encephalitic illness in the country. A significant outbreak occurred in 2003 in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, resulting in 183 deaths among 329 affected children. Sporadic cases and fatalities were also noted in Gujarat in 2004.

Transmission of the virus occurs through vectors like mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies.

Sabarkantha chief district health officer, Raj Sutariya, said that blood samples from the six affected children have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for confirmation.

"Paediatricians at the Himmatnagar Civil Hospital suspected the Chandipura virus following the deaths of four children on July 10. The two other children currently hospitalised are displaying similar symptoms, indicating a likely infection by the same virus," an official said.

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