Gujarat Chandipura virus outbreak kills 22 children

India — Gujarat is experiencing a Chandipura virus (CHPV) outbreak during the 2026 monsoon season. As of August 3, 2026, the state health department has reported 184 suspected cases, with 35 confirmed positive and 22 deaths, all among children under 15 years old. Seven patients remain hospitalized in ICUs across civil hospitals in Gandhinagar, Sabarkantha, Patan, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar, while six have recovered and been discharged. Health Minister Prafull Pansheriya stated that cases are scattered across different areas rather than concentrated in one village. The virus is transmitted by sandflies, and health teams are conducting insecticide spraying in livestock-rearing areas and advising residents to seal cracks in mud walls. There is no specific vaccine or antiviral treatment, so patients receive symptomatic care. The health department has directed all pediatric facilities to admit symptomatic children to ICUs immediately to prevent complications like multiple organ failure. A dedicated team is researching a vaccine and effective medicine. The World Health Organization identifies CHPV as a member of the Rhabdoviridae family causing acute encephalitis syndrome in parts of India. Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel is overseeing the state's response.