Now Reading: 22 children dead in Gujarat Chandipura outbreak, virus hits youngest hardest
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22 children dead in Gujarat Chandipura outbreak, virus hits youngest hardest
22 children dead in Gujarat Chandipura outbreak, virus hits youngest hardest
Twenty-two children have died of Chandipura virus in Gujarat this monsoon, with 35 confirmed cases out of 184 suspected infections, said Health Minister Praful Panseriya. Seven more children are under treatment. All…
The Story in Brief
Twenty-two children have died of Chandipura virus in Gujarat this monsoon, with 35 confirmed cases out of 184 suspected infections, said Health Minister Praful Panseriya. Seven more children are under treatment. All patients are below 15. Rajasthan has reported three confirmed cases from Dungarpur and Sirohi.
The virus, first identified in 1965 in Maharashtra’s Chandipura village, spreads mainly through sandfly bites. Children below five are most vulnerable because their developing brains and immature immune defences make them prone to severe encephalitis. There is no specific vaccine or antiviral treatment; supportive care is the only option.
The Indian Opinion
The Gujarat government is spraying pesticides and asking hospitals to admit children showing symptoms to ICUs, which is sensible. But the 56, 75% fatality rate cited by the WHO should quiet those who dismiss this as media hype. What is Gujarat’s case-fatality rate among confirmed cases? That number will tell us how well the state’s response actually works.
Sources (3): timesnownews.com, thehindu.com, livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
