The dreaded chandipura virus, known to give very little time for recovery, has struck Nagpur and its adjoining districts claiming seven lives in two weeks.
The dreaded chandipura virus, known to give very little time for recovery, has struck Nagpur and its adjoining districts claiming seven lives in two weeks. The state has declared it an epidemic now and started massive anti-vector campaigns in the severely affected villages.
The chandipura virus, caused by bite of sand fly (one-fourth the size of a mosquito), has been a cause of concern for state health authorities for the past 2-3 years now. Known for its high mortality rate, the virus has affected 27 people out of which 7 have lost their lives. Out of the 14 cases reported from Bhandara, six have died. Seven cases have been reported from Gadchiroli, four from Wardha, and one case each from Nagpur and Chandrapur.
“We have doubled our containment measures and house-to-house surveillance and spraying of anti-vector agents within and around 5 kilometres of the village,” said Dr Suhas Ranade, assistant director, directorate of health services, Maharashtra. “Its mortality rate is high, as like many viral infections even chandipura has no treatment. But, we are providing successful supportive treatment.”
State entomologist AS Bhonsale said that the serum samples of all affected are being tested at the National Institute of Virology, Pune (NIV). The NIV has already initiated a study to find out why the spread of the virus is peculiar to the Vidarbha belt. “The sand fly breeds in cattle sheds or in filthy conditions,” Bhonsale said.
Bhonsale said that cases of human-to-human transmission of chandipura are still unheard of. All rural and district hospitals have been alerted to stay prepared for possibility of more cases. Known to affect all age-groups, the virus comes with symptoms like high fever, headache, bodyache and convulsions. It is considered as one of the emerging infectious organism that can translate a simple fever-like condition into inflammation of brain or coma and death for the patient. In 2007, the virus had killed 33 people out of 57 people diagnosed again in the Vidarbha region.
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