Gujarat: Four children have tragically passed away due to a suspected Chandipura virus infection in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district. The latest update, according to an official statement on Saturday, reveals that two other children are currently undergoing treatment at Himatnagar civil hospital.

Following the outbreak, local authorities have adopted preventive actions. They have started dusting operations in the affected areas to eliminate sandflies, which are believed to spread the infection.

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The deaths occurred on July 10. One of the deceased children hailed from Sabarkantha itself, while two others were from the nearby Aravalli district. The fourth child came from Rajasthan. The two children currently under treatment also belong to Rajasthan.

Authorities in Rajasthan have been informed about the deaths caused by the suspected viral infection.

Chandipura virus, belonging to the Rhabdoviridae family, manifests with symptoms similar to flu and can lead to acute encephalitis, a severe inflammation of the brain. It was first identified in 1965 in Maharashtra and has been associated with various outbreaks of encephalitis in India. A significant outbreak occurred in 2003 in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, claiming 183 lives out of 329 affected children. Sporadic cases and fatalities were also recorded in Gujarat in 2004.

The virus spreads through vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies.

Raj Sutariya, the Chief District Health Officer of Sabarkantha, mentioned 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 Himatnagar 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," another official said.

Agencies