13 new suspected cases, 5 deaths recorded

Gujarat on Sunday reported 13 new suspected cases of Chandipura virus and five deaths, the state health department said.

With the latest additions, the number of confirmed and suspected infections in the state has risen to 84 so far, while the death toll has risen to 32.

New suspected cases have been reported from Ahmedabad (2 infections), Aravalli (2), Banaskantha (2), Surendranagar (1), Gandhinagar (1), Kheda (1), Mehsana (1), Narmada (1), Vadodara ( 1 ) and Rajkot (1).

Of the five suspected deaths due to Chandipura virus, one was reported each from Mahisagar, Kheda and Vadodara, and two from Banaskantha, the state health department said in a statement. The government has taken several measures to control the viral infection transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks and sand flies, the statement said.

The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune on Saturday confirmed nine cases of Chandipura virus from Gujarat.

No new confirmed cases were reported in the state on Sunday, the Department of Health reported. Samples from all suspected cases have also been sent to the NIV for testing.

Gujarat reported its first death from the Chandipura virus on Wednesday, prompting the state health department to issue guidelines for daily monitoring and surveillance at the local level to detect possible infections and control the disease.

According to the statement, health department teams monitored around 19,000 households and sprayed powder in 1.16 lakh houses in the affected areas.

Each individual case is being investigated by a rapid response team and people are advised to use personal protective equipment, the team said.

Chandipura virus causes fever, with symptoms similar to influenza, and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). The pathogen is a member of the genus Vesiculovirus of the family Rhabdoviridae. It is transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sand flies. The 2003-2004 outbreaks in central India saw fatality rates ranging from 56-75 percent in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat with typical encephalitic symptoms.
The Health Ministry on Friday along with experts investigated the cases of Chandipura virus and acute encephalitis syndrome in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Surat reports first suspected case
The first suspected case of Chandipura virus in Surat emerged on Sunday. A 12-year-old girl from Sachin area was admitted to the New Civil Hospital after she showed symptoms of high fever, convulsions and vomiting.
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The patient’s samples have been sent to laboratories in Gandhinagar and Pune for confirmation.