National team deployed in Gujarat over Chandipura outbreak
A national team comprising experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been deputed to Gujarat to investigate and strengthen the response to Chandipura virus disease. Speaking to ANI, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr. Rajiv Bahl said that the…
A national team comprising experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been deputed to Gujarat to investigate and strengthen the response to Chandipura virus disease. Speaking to ANI, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr.
Rajiv Bahl said that the team is working with state authorities and other experts to understand the disease, control its spread and explore treatment approaches. Chandipura virus outbreak occurred several times before, but the latest one was about two years ago.
What Happened
He said that ICMR teams had already been working in Gujarat for the past two years to investigate the disease and understand why outbreaks occur. He added that teams were already active in affected areas of Gujarat, but a national team has.
WHO has reported a case-fatality ratio of 56 to 75 per cent in previous Chandipura outbreaks in India.
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The disease can begin with fever and may progress to convulsions, coma and, in severe cases, death.
Key Details
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT) to Gujarat and Rajasthan to strengthen the response to the Chandipura virus disease outbreak.
In Gujarat, Phlebotomus papatasi, a sandfly, has been reported as a vector.
The virus is transmitted by vectors, including sandflies, mosquitoes and ticks.
According to the World Health Organisation, Chandipura virus (CHPV) is a member of the Rhabdoviridae family and is associated with acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), particularly among children.
Why It Matters
The NCDC Public Health Emergency Operations Centre has also been activated to support the NJORT.
The response is being supported by disease surveillance under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), coordinated by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in coordination with state surveillance units.
What Reports Say
Coverage of the story so far points to:
Continued reporting by Awaz The Voice as more details emerge
