The Centre has deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT) to Gujarat and Rajasthan to strengthen the response to the ongoing Chandipura Virus Disease (CHPV) outbreak, as scientific investigations and disease surveillance efforts continue across affected areas.
The multidisciplinary team, comprising experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), will assist state authorities in outbreak investigation, epidemiological assessment, clinical management, laboratory coordination, vector surveillance and implementation of public health measures.
The NCDC Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) has also been activated to support the response team. The NJORT will work closely with state health departments and submit recommendations to the Union Health Ministry after completing its field assessment.
The deployment comes amid an extensive scientific investigation involving multiple premier research institutions, including ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai; ICMR-National Institute of Vector Control Research (NIVCR), Puducherry; ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune; ICMR-National Institute for Pre-Clinical Research (NIPCR), Hyderabad; and ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI), Bengaluru.
Researchers from these institutions are working with the Gujarat health department to understand the virus transmission pattern, clinical impact, epidemiology and possible treatment approaches.
As part of the investigation, surveillance has been intensified among patients reporting Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in affected districts. Community-based serosurveys are also being conducted to assess asymptomatic infections and determine the extent of virus transmission.
Scientists are also examining the role of vectors in the spread of Chandipura virus. While sandflies are known carriers of the virus, investigations are underway to determine whether other arthropods, including mosquitoes, ticks and mites, could have a role in transmission. Samples collected from affected areas are being analysed, with authorities cautioning that no conclusions can be drawn until the studies are complete.
Additionally, animal surveillance has also been expanded as part of a One Health approach to assess whether domestic animals could be involved in the transmission cycle. Samples from cattle, buffaloes and goats, including around 70 animal blood samples collected so far, are being tested for Chandipura virus and other pathogens.
The current investigation is also drawing lessons from the 2024 Chandipura virus outbreak in Gujarat, during which several vector species were tested but no specific carrier could be conclusively identified.
Scientists are further studying possible genetic changes in the virus through whole-genome sequencing of samples at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Gandhinagar. Preliminary analysis has found minor genetic variations, though detailed studies are required to determine their significance.
The ongoing efforts are supported by India’s Hospital-based Acute Encephalitis Syndrome Surveillance Network, a multicentric programme covering 15 tertiary care hospitals. The network uses clinical protocols, molecular diagnostics and genomic sequencing to strengthen outbreak detection and improve understanding of AES cases.
With the deployment of the NJORT and coordinated investigations by national research institutions, the Centre has expanded scientific and field support to Gujarat and Rajasthan, combining human, animal and vector surveillance efforts to strengthen the response to the Chandipura virus outbreak.
