CHANDIPUR VIRUS-SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY
WHY IN NEWS?
Chandipura virus: Death toll rises to 15 as the virus
spreads in more districts in Gujarat.
key facts:
- Affected Regions: The virus has
been detected in Aravalli, Sabarkantha, Mahisagar, and Kheda districts.
There have also been cases involving patients from Rajasthan and Madhya
Pradesh.
- Victims: The virus
primarily affects children aged between 9 months and 14 years.
- Common symptoms: include fever,
vomiting, headache, and loose motion. Severe cases can lead to
encephalitis, resulting in altered sensorium, convulsions, coma, and
potentially death.
- Transmission: Chandipura virus
is transmitted by sand flies and is not contagious between humans.
- Response: Over 400 houses
and 19,000 people have been screened, and insecticide spraying has been
conducted in 2,093 houses to control sand flies. Samples from suspected
cases have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for
confirmation.
- History: The virus was
first identified in 1965 in the Chandipura village of Maharashtra and has
caused sporadic outbreaks in India, predominantly affecting rural areas.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chandipura-virus-death-toll-rises-to-15-as-the-virus-spreads-in-more-districts-in-gujarat/article68415494.ece