Centre Steps Up Chandipura Virus Response in Two States

The move comes alongside intensified surveillance and research led by several of the country's leading public health and scientific institutions.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT) to Gujarat and Rajasthan as part of an expanded effort to contain the ongoing Chandipura Virus Disease (CHPV) outbreak and deepen scientific understanding of the infection.

The move comes alongside intensified surveillance and research led by several of the country's leading public health and scientific institutions. Authorities said the coordinated response is designed to improve outbreak management while generating evidence on how the virus spreads, the full range of illnesses it causes and the most effective public health measures needed to control it.

Expert team to strengthen outbreak response

The multidisciplinary NJORT includes specialists from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD). The team will work with state governments to support outbreak investigations, assess epidemiological trends, coordinate laboratory testing, strengthen clinical management and monitor disease vectors.

The National Centre for Disease Control has also activated its Public Health Emergency Operations Centre to support field operations and coordinate the response. After completing its assessment, the expert team will submit recommendations to the Ministry of Health.

Scientists investigate virus transmission

A wide network of research institutions is carrying out one of the most comprehensive investigations into Chandipura virus in recent years. Experts from ICMR institutes in Chennai, Puducherry, Pune and Hyderabad, along with scientists from the ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics in Bengaluru, are collaborating with the Gujarat State Health Department.

Researchers are examining the complete clinical spectrum of Chandipura virus infection, ranging from mild fever to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). Surveillance has been expanded to monitor patients with acute febrile illness and AES, while community-based serosurveys are being conducted to identify asymptomatic infections and estimate the true spread of the virus.

Laboratories are also working to improve diagnostic methods and develop better animal models to understand how the disease progresses.

Focus on vectors and animal surveillance

Scientists are investigating how the virus is being transmitted during the current outbreak. Although sandflies are recognised as the primary vectors of Chandipura virus, researchers are also studying whether mosquitoes, ticks or mites could play a role.

Large numbers of insect samples collected from affected areas are undergoing laboratory analysis. Health authorities stressed that it is too early to identify the vector responsible for the present outbreak until scientific investigations are completed.

Animal surveillance has also been expanded, with blood samples collected from cattle, buffaloes and goats, along with milk samples, to determine whether domestic animals may act as virus reservoirs. Around 70 animal blood samples have been collected for testing, though officials said no conclusions can be drawn until laboratory analysis is complete.

Genome studies and national surveillance continue

Scientists are comparing the current outbreak with the Chandipura virus outbreak reported in Gujarat during 2024. During that investigation, several vector species tested negative for the virus, leaving researchers without conclusive evidence on the source of transmission.

Whole-genome sequencing of virus samples is now underway at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre in Gandhinagar. Early findings have identified minor genetic variations, though experts said further analysis is needed before determining whether the circulating strain differs significantly from those detected in previous outbreaks.

The investigation is also being supported by India's Hospital-based Acute Encephalitis Syndrome Surveillance Network, which operates across 15 tertiary care hospitals. Using standardised clinical protocols, molecular diagnostics and next-generation sequencing, the programme is generating valuable data to strengthen disease surveillance and improve future outbreak detection.

The Health Ministry said the deployment of the National Joint Outbreak Response Team reflects a coordinated One Health approach that combines human, animal and vector surveillance to better understand the outbreak and strengthen efforts to contain the spread of Chandipura virus.