25 die in Gujarat in five weeks as source of deadly virus remains unknown

At least 25 people have died from Chandipura virus infections in India’s Gujarat state in just five weeks, but public health experts have yet to determine exactly how the virus is spreading.

The outbreak began spreading in Gujarat on June 30. Thousands of potential vectors, including sandflies, mosquitoes and ticks, have been collected and tested, but none of the samples has tested positive for the virus, according to a report by The Indian Express.

Gujarat has reported 39 confirmed cases this year, with 25 deaths. The virus mainly affects children under 15 and can cause acute encephalitis syndrome, a severe neurological condition.

Sandflies are the known vector of Chandipura virus. However, researchers are facing new questions as cases have also been reported in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region, where sandflies are less common.

A National Joint Outbreak Response Team comprising researchers from Gujarat and five national institutions is investigating the outbreak. More than 1,000 sandfly and other vector samples collected in Gujarat and Rajasthan during the 2024 and 2026 outbreaks have been tested, with no virus detected.

The current outbreak has been reported across 12 districts of Gujarat and three districts of neighbouring Rajasthan. Gujarat’s Patan district has recorded the highest number of confirmed cases, followed by Sabarkantha.

A Gujarat livestock official said cases were appearing sporadically rather than in clusters, raising the possibility that the responsible vector may be present in small numbers.

A similar investigation during the 2024 outbreak failed to identify a definitive vector. That year, 78 children developed acute encephalitis syndrome symptoms in Gujarat, with 28 deaths reported.

Chandipura virus was first identified in India in 1965. It is named after Chandipura village in Maharashtra.

SKS