2 children die of Chandipura virus infection in Gujarat, surveillance up

3 min readVadodaraUpdated: Jul 7, 2026 10:03 PM IST

The two deceased children – from Vinjol and Jitpura villages in Panchmahal district – were confirmed as cases of Chandipura virus infection by laboratory tests. (AI generated image)

The deaths of two young children from neighbouring villages in Godhra taluka of Panchmahal district has prompted the health department in Gujarat to deploy medical teams, launching door-to-door surveillance and intensifying insecticide spraying in affected areas.

The two deceased children – from Vinjol and Jitpura villages in Panchmahal district – were confirmed as cases of Chandipura virus infection by laboratory tests. Describing the deaths as “deeply tragic”, Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said the Health Department had initiated a “rapid containment operation” while urging the public not to panic.

Viraj Chauhnan (3) from Vinjol and Prince Baria (4) from Jitpur succumbed to the virus, even as two other children are undergoing treatment at SSG hospital for similar symptoms but have tested negative for Chandipura virus.

Panchmahal Chief District Health Officer Dr Vipul Gamit said that while around ten teams have been deployed in Vinjol and Jitpur villages, 682 health teams are working in the entire district, conducting door-to-door examinations and collecting blood samples of suspected cases.

In a release on Tuesday, the state government said, “Survey in the affected villages found the presence of sand flies, the insect associated with the spread of the virus. As a result, intensive insecticide spraying has begun in and around homes, particularly in mud houses where sand flies are known to breed in wall cracks…”

The minister also chaired a high-level review meeting in Gandhinagar on Tuesday to assess the state’s response. The release states that the state has initiated “all necessary control measures.”

Two special medical teams from the Godhra and Vadodara medical colleges have been deployed to the affected villages, while local health workers are conducting house-to-house surveys and screening residents. As a precaution, surveillance has also been completed in districts and villages that reported Chandipura virus cases in 2024.

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The release stated that adequate stocks of medicines and insecticidal powder have been supplied to health centres as Pansheriya urged parents to “seek immediate medical attention if children develop symptoms such as fever, vomiting, convulsions or unconsciousness.”

Seeking to reassure residents, Pansheriya also added that no Chandipura virus cases have been reported outside the two affected villages so far. The state also recommended simple preventive measures such as sealing cracks in mud houses, maintaining cleanliness around homes and protecting children from insect bites, which can significantly reduce the risk of transmission.