The death toll of suspected cases of Gujarat Chandipura Virus has gone to 15 in the past week, which is concerning. The virus has spread to many districts of Gujarat, the government has launched preventive measures to stop the spread, let’s see the preventive measures, symptoms, and other details of the virus.
Gujarat Chandipura Virus
Chandipura virus is a member of Vesiculovirus that comes from the family of Rhabdoviridae which also includes rabies virus, it’s an emerging human pathogen that causes disease in humans when they are exposed to this virus.
This is not the first time the virus has come into the picture, in 1965, the virus caused illness in a Nagpur village called Chandipura, and since then, the virus has been named after that village. According to records, the virus caused more than 300 deaths in many states, such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh in 2003-04.
Recently, the Chandipura virus has again surfaced in the Sabarkantha district of Gujarat in children. The Chandipura virus has spread to other districts like Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Morbi, Rajkot, Aravali, Panchmahal, etc. According to the state ministry, a total of 29 cases are suspected caused by the virus and 15 deaths have been confirmed.
According to health officials, out of 29 cases, two are from Rajasthan and one case is from MP. Children between 0 to 14 years old are the most prone to the Chandipura virus disease.
Transmission of Gujarat Chandipura Virus
The Chandipura virus is vector bone, it is believed that in India the vector is a female sandfly, that is usually active during the monsoon period. According to Indian Medical Research, sandflies play a major role in the transmission of the virus.
Many reports suggest that rural areas are most prone to these diseases as it is easier for the virus to breed in gaps between bricks of kutcha homes and the holes in trees during monsoon. The reports suggest that the Chandipura virus probably spread to humans through insect bites.
Many reports also suggest that certain animals can be the reservoir for this virus or that certain environmental conditions favor the breeding of such a virus. However, the prime mechanism of the transmission of the Chandipura virus is still unknown.
Symptoms of Gujarat Chandipura Virus
According to government health officials, the following are the symptoms of the Gujarat Chandipura Virus:
- High-grade fever
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Cramps,
- Semi-consciousness ( change in the mental status of the patient)
- Neurological effects (loss of vision, inability to speak, or loss of balance)
- Inflammation of the brain
- Meningeal irritation like seizures, severe headache, etc.
According to health guidelines, if you or any of your family members or friends feel any symptoms or illness, you should immediately contact your nearest health center to prevent the disease effect and receive the appropriate treatment.
Treatment of Gujarat Chandipura Virus
According to the reports, no antiviral treatment or vaccine exists for the Chandipura virus infectious disease. The general treatment for the Chandipura virus infectious diseases are:
- Hospitalization: A person with Chandipura Virus infection symptoms would need to be hospitalized for monitoring and to prevent the deterioration of the patient’s health. Most of the time, patients with neurological effects would need to be admitted to the hospital to control the situation.
- In most cases, keeping the body hydrated is essential, especially in the case of diarrhea and severe vomiting.
- The patients would most likely be treated with antipyretics to control the fever and anticonvulsants to manage the meningeal effects.
- If respiratory and neurological conditions arise in the patients, they can be shifted to intensive care units to manage their conditions.
The Chandipura virus is not contagious but still if not treated well it can be dangerous for the health of patients, especially children with weak immunity.
Gujarat Chandipura Virus Preventive Measures
The Gujarat Health Minister, Mr. Rushikesh Patel has shared the following preventive measures for the rising Chandipura virus:
- Fill the holes and cracks in the walls of your homes to prevent the sandflies from breeding and entering your house.
- Ensure that children over 14 sleep in mosquito nets treated with insecticide to prevent mosquito bites.
- Make sure children are well-covered while playing outside and are not exposed to potential mosquito bites, you can use mosquito repellants as well.
- Ensure that your house has indoor air exposure and that you receive Vitamin D from the sunlight.
- Remember, even with the slightest symptoms, you should immediately report to the nearest healthcare center to spread the virus infection in the body.
- Early diagnosis and treatment are the best preventive measures to protect your family and peers.
The Chandipura virus cases are growing in Gujarat, the citizens should follow preventive measures to protect their loved ones, especially children from the infection, so be aware and vigilant.