The worst Chandipura outbreak in India for more than two decades has already killed 32 people, most of whom were just children.
The disease is just one of many insect-borne illnesses on the rise around the country and the world. Some experts believe climate change is to blame, but no matter what the reason, people and medical professionals need to be on high alert.
What Is Chandipura Virus?
The vast majority of people have never heard of the Chandipura virus because it has only ever jumped from insects to humans in India. Because it is so uncommon, very little is known about this extremely fatal disease.
They do know that it is spread through sandflies, ticks, and mosquitos, causes flu-like symptoms and brain inflammation, and is most commonly found in young children.
The Fatality Rate for Chandipura Virus Is Over 56%
The first recorded outbreak took place in 1965 in the Chandipura village of Maharashtra, India. Then, only two people were infected, but the virus cost them both their lives.
The next outbreak wasn’t until 2003 in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. However, this time it was much worse. More than 329 children contracted the virus, 183 of whom died within the year.
The Most Recent Outbreak Has Already Killed 32
While doctors believe that a few additional children fell ill in 2004, it wasn’t until July 2024 that they officially announced another outbreak.
The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune reported the tragic death of a four-year-old girl, in addition to 32 other deaths throughout the Gujarat and Rajasthan regions.
Treatment for Chandipura Virus
Sadly, experts believe more may die in the coming days and weeks from the Chandipura virus, as currently, there is no known treatment.
Once symptoms have set in, doctors can try to manage them through assisted airway breathing, oxygen therapy, ventilation, increasing fluid intake, balancing electrolytes, and preventing further infections. However, they do not have medications that will eliminate the virus.
Brain Swelling Is Nearly Impossible to Cure in Rural India
The problem is that the virus can lead to encephalitis or the swelling of the brain, which causes seizures, coma, and often death.
There are some treatments for brain swelling, including certain medications and therapies like hyperbaric chambers, but the majority of the hospitals in these small Indian villages don’t have access to these tactics. Even if they did, there’s no promise that they would work.
Health Authorities in Gujarat Are Working to Contain the Outbreak
In response to the outbreak, health authorities in Gujarat are doing everything they can to contain it. More than 50,000 people have already been screened, and all medical professionals in the area are on high alert.
Additionally, 20,000 homes have been surveyed for the presence of mosquitos and sandflies, and 1,500 of those homes have been sprayed with industrial-strength insect repellent.
What Is Causing the Fatal Outbreak?
While most doctors believe that the first case was likely before 1965 and was simply mistaken for a different virus, there’s no doubt that the number of children catching and dying from the Chandipura virus has increased in the past two decades.
They cannot say for sure, but the most commonly believed theory is that climate change and the consequently warming temperatures on Earth are directly leading to the increased number of Chandipura cases.
India Is Experiencing One of the Hottest Summers on Record
The average global temperature has risen by a little more than 2° Fahrenheit since 1880, which has directly caused many of the negative side effects of climate change. However, India has seen even more aggressive temperature increases than some other countries.
India has seen a 30% increase in moist heat over the past 40 years alone, and this summer, residents have experienced one of the hottest summers on record. This heat wave has allowed insects to breed and survive in larger numbers than ever before.
Stagnant Water Also Plays a Big Part in the Spread of the Chandipura Virus
Rising temperatures unquestionably have encouraged the spread of this and many other viruses, but they are not the only cause.
Dr. Andrew Easton, Professor of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, explained, “If circumstances change in a particular environment – for example, there’s an increase in stagnant water, where the bugs breed because sanitation has broken down or there’s limited sanitation – then the likelihood of infection increases because the population of the insects can surge.”
Other Insect-Borne Disease Have Increased Around the World
Of course, the Chandipura virus is not the only insect-borne disease on the rise. In India, cases of Malaria, Dengue, Zika, and Nipah viruses have all increased this summer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has even noted that more than 23 countries reported dengue outbreaks in 2023, with more than 5 million reported cases worldwide.
Yet Another Reason to Join the Fight Against Climate Change
These viruses are extremely dangerous and even deadly, and while doctors have worked tirelessly to find the best possible treatments and cures, they continue to plague the world.
Millions of people have already joined the fight against climate change, but some still argue that either the dilemma isn’t real or that it won’t affect humans for many generations to come and is, therefore, not their concern. However, the increase in insect-borne viruses and subsequent deaths around the world should help prove that climate change is happening and it’s affecting us right now.
