Gujarat’s health department has been placed on high alert after a fresh outbreak of Chandipura virus claimed the lives of 22 children in the state. The latest figures show that 184 suspected cases have been reported so far, of which 35 have tested positive, while 11 sample results are still awaited.
According to Health Minister Praful Pansheriya, all confirmed patients are below the age of 15. At present, seven positive cases are under treatment in government hospitals across Gandhinagar, Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha, Patan, Rajkot and Bhavnagar, while six patients have recovered and been discharged. The minister said the infections are spread across different districts and are not concentrated in a single village or region.
The outbreak has prompted the health department to intensify surveillance, vector-control measures and hospital preparedness. Field teams have been deployed to track suspected cases, and government as well as private paediatric hospitals have been instructed to immediately admit symptomatic children into ICUs with oxygen and ventilator support. Authorities are treating the situation as a serious public health challenge because the virus can progress rapidly and there is no specific medicine or vaccine available at present.
To limit further spread, the state has begun insecticide spraying in villages and cattle-rearing areas where sandflies are likely to breed. Residents in rural areas have also been advised to seal cracks in mud houses and keep their surroundings clean. Since Chandipura virus is transmitted by vectors such as sandflies, mosquito-control style prevention is being used as part of the response strategy.
The state government’s response reflects the concern surrounding the virus, which mainly affects children and can cause severe complications. Doctors say early treatment and quick admission are critical, especially when symptoms such as sudden fever, vomiting, seizures or altered consciousness appear. Because the disease can deteriorate quickly, health authorities are urging families not to delay medical care.
The outbreak has once again drawn attention to the need for stronger awareness and faster response in rural and semi-rural areas. While cases are being reported from multiple districts, the focus now remains on containment, monitoring and reducing further child deaths.
