22 children die of Chandipura virus in Gujarat this monsoon

Twenty-two children have died due to Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection in Gujarat this monsoon season, with seven others currently undergoing treatment, State Health Minister Praful Panseriya said on Monday (August 3, 2026).

The State has reported 184 suspected cases of the virus so far, of which 35 have tested positive, while the results of 11 samples are awaited, the Minister said. All the affected patients are below 15 years of age.

Children admitted to civil hospitals in Gandhinagar, Himmatnagar, Patan, Rajkot and Bhavnagar are receiving specialised treatment, he said, adding that doctors are closely monitoring their condition.

Mr. Panseriya said the cases have been reported from different parts of the State and are not concentrated in any particular village.

To contain the spread of the virus, health teams are carrying out pesticide spraying in areas with animal husbandry activity to control sandflies, which transmit the virus.

The Health Department has instructed all government and private paediatric hospitals to immediately admit children showing symptoms of the infection to intensive care units with oxygen and ventilator support to prevent complications such as multiple organ failure.

Chandipura encephalitis is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the brain and is spread mainly by sandflies and other insects. The virus was first identified in 1965 in Chandipura village in Maharashtra’s Nagpur district.