Four children have died and two others are undergoing treatment in Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district for suspected infection of Chandipura virus, an official said Saturday.

The two children are being treated at the civil hospital at Himmatnagar in the district.

Chandipura virus causes fever, with symptoms similar to flu, and acute encephalitis (inflammation of brain). The pathogen is a member of the Vesiculovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae. It is transmitted by vectors like mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies.

Blood samples of all six kids have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for confirmation and their results are awaited, Sabarkantha Chief District Health Officer Raj Sutariya said.

Paediatricians at the Himmatnagar civil hospital had suspected the role of the Chandipura virus after four children died there on July 10, he said.

Two other children admitted to the hospital have displayed similar symptoms. They also seem to be infected by the same virus, Sutariya said.

Of the four children who have died so far, one was from Sabarkantha district and two were from neighbouring Aravalli district. The fourth child hailed from Rajasthan.

The two children being treated at the hospital are also from Rajasthan, he said.

The authorities in Rajasthan have been informed about the death of the child due to the suspected viral infection, Sutariya said.

“We have sent all six samples, including those of four children who have died, to NIV in Pune,” he added.

To curb the infection, the district authorities have deployed teams to conduct preventive measures, including dusting to kill sandflies in affected areas, officials said.

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