Representative Image of a virus.
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Ahmedabad: Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) has confirmed the first death due to Chandipura virus in Gujarat, out of five samples the state had sent for confirmation. Senior health officials said that the sample of a 5-year-old girl confirmed her death was due to the infection.
"This is the first case in which the report has confirmed the death of a 5-year-old girl due to Chandipura vesiculovirus (CHPV). We are awaiting results of more samples," Dr Paresh Shiladariya, civil superintendent, Himmatnagar civil hospital in Sabarkantha district, told DH while adding that the district has reported eight suspected cases.
When contacted, a senior health officer in Gandhinagar said that the suspected deaths due to the virus has reached up to 14 out of 29 cases. The death includes patients who came from outside the state including neighbouring Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
"These are all suspected cases except the one which has been confirmed positive. Since children are dying and looking at the severity of the spread, we have deployed teams to create awareness. A meeting with the health minister is also scheduled to be held on Thursday in this regard," the officer told DH.
The 15 suspected deaths have been reported from Aravalli (3, of which one case has been confirmed, Sabarkantha (2), Morbi (2), one each in Mahisagar, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Panchmahal, Rajkot, Surendranagar, among others. So far, 14 districts and cities of Gujarat have reported the suspected cases.
According to a health bulletin issued by the state government, two patients, each from Udaipur in Rajasthan and Dhar in Madhya Pradesh, have also died.