Union Health Minister JP Nadda informed the Rajya Sabha that as of July 31, there were 53 confirmed cases of Chandipura virus in India, 51 of which were from Gujarat and two from Rajasthan.
Out of the 53 cases, 19 have resulted in fatalities, all of which were reported in Gujarat, according to Nadda's written response to a query.
In order to prevent the spread of the virus, Nadda mentioned that a team called the National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT) has been deployed to help the Gujarat government by implementing public health measures and carrying out a thorough epidemiological investigation into the outbreak.
The NJORT includes experts from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program, the National Centre for Disease Control, the Indian Council of Medical Research, and the National Institute of Virology Pune.
In addition, a team from the National Centre for Disease Control in Delhi and the Indian Council of Medical Research National Institute of Virology Pune is conducting an epidemiological investigation into the cases of Acute Encephalitis and the associated deaths.
Furthermore, entomologists from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are present in the affected areas to conduct an entomological investigation to determine the vector responsible for transmitting CHPV to humans.
Health rapid response teams, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), and Auxiliary Nurse and Midwives (ANM) have carried out active surveillance to promptly identify cases and refer suspected cases to nearby hospitals and medical colleges equipped with 24-hour specialist services and ventilator support.
Nadda said indoor residual spraying for control of vector (sandfly) has been intensified in the areas from which cases have been reported and covers adjoining areas.
Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities have been initiated to raise awareness through media briefings, radio jingles, health education programs on Doordarshan, and news bulletins.
House-to-house interpersonal communication has also been initiated to directly communicate with households to spread awareness and educate them about preventive measures.
Nadda informed that the NCDC and the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) have issued a joint advisory to ensure that state governments take proper vector control measures.
Along with that, it provides guidance to the states to ensure the timely referral of suspected AES cases to designated facilities to improve health outcomes. It also aims to create awareness among the community regarding prevention measures, he stated.
The Public Health Emergency Operation Centre at the NCDC has been activated to coordinate the NJORT's activities and provide the requisite support to the field teams.
Nadda stated, "The Government of India is closely monitoring and reviewing the situation in coordination with the state government."
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