Chandipura Vesiculovirus Alert: Maharashtra Government Issues Advisory After Gujarat Reports 32 Deaths Suspected To Be Linked With Chandipura Virus

Mumbai, July 22: The state health department of Gujarat said on Sunday, July 21, that the coastal state reported 13 fresh suspected Chandipura virus cases and five fatalities. With the latest additions, the tally of confirmed and suspected cases in the state rose to 84, with the death toll being 32. Chandipura virus, also known as Chandipura Vesiculovirus (CHPV), causes fever with symptoms similar to flu and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Amid the rising number of Chandipura virus in Gujarat, an alert has been sounded in Maharashtra, with the public health department issuing an advisory on Friday, July 19.

Dr Radhakishan Pawar, joint director of health services of Maharashtra, issued the advisory to all municipal corporations, zilla parishads, civil surgeons, district health officers, and malaria officers in the state. Pawar, who also heads the vector-borne disease control programme, has directed officials across the state to strengthen comprehensive epidemiological, environmental and entomological surveillance and studies. Chandipura Virus Cases: Gujarat Reports 13 New Suspected Virus Cases, 5 Fatalities.

In the wake of the Chandipura virus or Chandipura vesiculovirus outbreak in Gujarat, Radhakishan Pawar also asked officials to identify villages and areas with sandflies that are sensitive to the infection. The state's health department has also directed officials to conduct house-to-house insecticide spraying. In addition to Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have also reported cases of the Chandipura virus.

Taking note of the sporadic cases that have caused a high fatality rate amongst children below 15 years, Dr Pawar said that it was important to take precautions to avoid the spread of the deadly infection in Maharashtra. According to the advisory, officials have been asked to carry out regular surveys in Chandipura-sensitive villages that were identified in the past few years.

The advisory has also recommended that children under 15 years old with symptoms, including fever, behavioural changes, and convulsions, be referred to primary health centres and rural or district hospitals. It also suggested testing blood samples of such patients for dengue, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), and Chandipura to ensure a definite diagnosis. What Is Chandipura Virus Allegedly Detected in Gujarat? From Symptoms to Causes and Treatment, Know All About the Virus That Causes Encephalitis or Brain Inflammation.

What All Does the Advisory State?

The health department's advisory has asked officials to maintain information about patients with symptoms of vector-borne diseases such as Chandipura virus, dengue, chikungunya, AES and JE. The information has to be stored in the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal. Additionally, all districts and healthcare facilities have been asked to maintain an adequate stock of medicines to treat Chandipura vesiculovirus patients across the state. From detailed training for doctors to treat encephalitis patients to creating awareness about the disease, the advisory has asked officials to communicate measures to prevent the disease.

What Is Chandipura Virus?

The dangerous pathogen is a member of the Vesiculovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae. Chandipura virus or Chandipura vesiculovirus. It is usually spread by vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies. The deadly infection was first identified in Maharashtra in 1965 and has been linked to several outbreaks of encephalitic illness across the country.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 22, 2024 07:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).