AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT – Following a recent surge in suspected and confirmed cases of the deadly Chandipura Virus (CHPV) across multiple districts, the Gujarat State Branch of the Indian Medical Association (GSB-IMA), in direct coordination with the Gujarat Health Department, has issued a comprehensive statewide medical advisory.
The directive mandates immediate protocols for practicing clinicians, pediatricians, and the general public to suppress vector transmission and prevent fatal outcomes in vulnerable children.

Key Directives for Practicing Pediatricians & Clinicians:
With multiple active cases under surveillance and a high case fatality rate historically associated with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), medical professionals are instructed to adhere to the following strict guidelines:
• Maintain a High Index of Suspicion: Clinicians across the state—particularly in northern and eastern tribal belts—must maintain extreme vigilance when treating pediatric patients presenting with sudden onset sickness.
• Epidemiological Mapping: Doctors are ordered to evaluate the localized transmission background and history of young patients, mapping them against historical or emerging outbreak clusters.
• Aggressive Symptom Monitoring: Clinicians must immediately screen and prioritize patients exhibiting hallmark signs of infection, specifically sudden high-grade fever, acute encephalitis (brain inflammation), severe vomiting, and convulsions (seizures).
• Zero Referral Delay: Doctors operating small healthcare facilities, community clinics, or private setups have been strictly instructed to administer primary stabilization treatment and immediately refer patients without delay to major tertiary hospitals equipped with advanced oxygen and ventilator infrastructure.
Crucial Guidance for Parents and the Public:
Because the Chandipura virus progresses aggressively within 24 to 48 hours, early clinical intervention remains the absolute baseline for survival.
• Immediate Medical Care: Parents are urged to rush children to the nearest government facility or qualified specialist at the very first signs of severe distress, altered consciousness, or high fever.
• Vector Protection: As the virus is transmitted primarily by the bite of infected sandflies, mosquitoes, and ticks during the monsoon season, the public must enforce strict vector control. Children should wear full-sleeved clothing, utilize mosquito nets, and apply insect repellents.
• Sanitation & Environmental Containment: Communities are advised to assist local sanitation teams by clearing stagnant water, filling mud wall cracks where sandflies breed, and conducting indoor insecticide spraying.

Media Contact:
State Headquarters, GSB-IMA
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Official GSB-IMA Portal