22 Children Die From Chandipura Virus In Gujarat This Monsoon; 35 Cases Confirmed

Published 3 August 2026 · health

22 Children Die From Chandipura Virus In Gujarat This Monsoon; 35 Cases Confirmed Published By, Last Updated: August 04, 2026, 05:17 IST Gujarat health minister

22 Children Die From Chandipura Virus In Gujarat This Monsoon; 35 Cases Confirmed Published By, Last Updated: August 04, 2026, 05:17 IST Gujarat health minister said seven patients are currently undergoing treatment at civil hospitals in Gandhinagar, Rajkot and other districts. Patients affected by the Chandipura virus being treated at a hospital, in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat. (PTI photo) At least 22 children have died due to Chandipura virus (CHPV) in Gujarat this monsoon season, with 35 cases testing positive out of 184 suspected infections, State Health Minister Praful Panseriya said on Monday. The minister said seven patients are currently undergoing treatment at civil hospitals in Gandhinagar, Rajkot and other districts. He added that government and private paediatric facilities have been instructed to immediately admit symptomatic patients to ICU beds with oxygen and ventilator support to prevent serious complications such as organ failure.

Health teams step up monitoring “A total of 184 suspected cases have been registered in the state so far, out of which 35 cases have tested positive and the results of 11 samples are still pending," Panseriya said. All affected patients are below 15 years of age, according to the minister. He said children admitted to hospitals in Gandhinagar, Sabarkantha-Himmatnagar, Patan, Rajkot and Bhavnagar are being provided specialised treatment and monitored closely by doctors. The minister further noted that cases are being reported from different areas and not concentrated in a particular village. Health teams are spraying pesticides in areas where animal husbandry is practised to target sandflies, which are responsible for spreading the encephalitis virus, he said.

Government and private paediatric facilities have been instructed to admit patients with symptoms of the virus to ICU beds with oxygen and ventilator facilities and not delay treatment so that serious conditions like multiple organ failure can be prevented, he said. Chandipura encephalitis is a viral disease that spreads mainly by sandflies and other insects and causes inflammation of the brain. The virus was first isolated from a patient from Chandipura village in Nagpur district of Maharashtra in 1965. (With inputs from PTI) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.