Rajasthan girl dies in Gujarat; Chandipura virus infection suspected, test results awaited

PTI, July 18, 2026, Jaipur : A six-year-old girl from Rajasthan's Dungarpur district has died in neighbouring Gujarat, with health authorities suspecting Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection as the cause, prompting surveillance and preventive measures in her native village even as officials wait for the test reports.

The girl, a resident of Ratanpura village in the Dhanbola area of Dungarpur, had her samples collected at Himmatnagar Civil Hospital in Gujarat on July 15, the same day she died.

Officials said the exact cause of death will be confirmed only after the test reports are received.

Chandipura virus is an emerging vector-borne pathogen that primarily affects children below 15 years of age.

It causes fever, flu-like symptoms and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). The virus belongs to the Vesiculovirus genus of the Rhabdoviridae family and is transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies.

Following the girl's death, the family brought the body back to their village. However, the local health department was initially unaware of the case.

Officials said Himmatnagar Civil Hospital informed the Gujarat government after collecting the sample, following which the Gujarat Health Department alerted its Rajasthan counterpart as the patient belonged to Dungarpur.

The information reached the Rajasthan Health Department headquarters in Jaipur on July 18, after which local authorities in Dungarpur launched surveillance and containment measures.

Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Alankar Gupta said health teams have been deployed in the village and 353 people have been screened so far.

"To prevent any possible spread of infection, fogging has been carried out in the village. Residents have been advised to maintain cleanliness in and around their homes, avoid water stagnation, and take precautions against mosquitoes and sandflies," Gupta said.

Officials said the situation is being closely monitored and preventive measures have been intensified in the area.

The suspected case comes amid a recent rise in Chandipura virus infections in Gujarat, which has reported seven confirmed cases over the past few weeks, including three deaths.