Three children have died and four others are on ventilator support after multiple cases of the Chandipura virus outbreak were reported in Gujarat over the past 14 days, putting the state on high alert and intensifying surveillance and containment measures.

The sudden rise in cases of the deadly Chandipura virus (CHPV), a sand fly-borne virus that causes acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), particularly among children, has raised concerns among health authorities and parents. According to official data, 32 suspected cases have been reported in the two weeks since July 1.

Of these, test reports have been received for 23 patients. Seven have tested positive for the virus, while 16 tested negative. Among the seven confirmed cases, three children have died and four are currently undergoing treatment on ventilator support. Test reports for nine suspected patients are still awaited.

Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said all seven confirmed patients were below the age of 10. 

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Chandipura virus causes fever and flu-like symptoms and can lead to acute encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. The virus belongs to the Vesiculovirus genus of the Rhabdoviridae family and is transmitted through vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies. It was first isolated in 1965 from a patient in Chandipura village in Maharashtra's Nagpur district.

*Just noting that primary transmission appears to be sandflies, both* [ticks](https://doi.org/10.4038/cjsbs.v37i1.492) *and* [mosquitos](https://academic.oup.com/jme/article-abstract/42/5/909/865003) *could potentially carry this virus, and some even consider this to have* [*pandemic potential*](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666991925001587) *since a range of potential carriers have been detected; mainly rodents, but antibodies have been detected in domestic animals. Still a few unknowns.* 

India: 3 children dead, 4 on life support as Chandipura virus outbreak hits Gujarat