Chandipura Virus: Dengue and malaria cases do not decrease during the rainy season and now a new virus is wreaking havoc. There is news that Chandipura virus has started spreading in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan. It is said that four children have died in Gujarat due to this virus and some children are under treatment. On one hand, the Health Ministry team has started investigating this virus, while on the other hand, there is an atmosphere of panic among the people about this virus.
What is Chandipura virus?
Health experts are however not entirely sure about the treatment due to Chandipura virus. Chandipura is said to be a kind of viral fever. Flu-like symptoms start developing in its patients. This virus, known to be deadly to children, is spread by mosquitoes, flies and insects.
Due to fever, the patient’s brain swells. The first symptoms are indicative of influenza. When the disease becomes severe, the risk of the patient falling into a coma increases along with swelling of the brain. This virus spreads rapidly by sandflies and mosquitoes. This fly is usually found in the mud formed after rains and infects humans after biting them.
How did the virus get the name Chandipura?
It is said that samples of children who died due to suspected Chandipura virus have been sent for testing. Some other children are being treated for this deadly virus at Sabarkantha Civil Hospital. It is said that this virus spreads in the form of fever and causes swelling in the patient’s brain.
It was named as Chandipura virus in 1965 when many children under the age of 15 died due to this virus in Chandipura village of Maharashtra. After Maharashtra, this virus had also wreaked havoc in Andhra Pradesh in 2003 and more than 150 children had died. Investigation revealed that Chandipura virus is a member of the viral species Rebel Viridae.
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