Gujarat Chandipura Outbreak Reaches 42 Cases and 28 Deaths

A virus called Chandipura is making children sick in Gujarat and nearby parts of Rajasthan.

Officials began counting cases from June 30.

They recorded 324 suspected cases and confirmed the virus in 42 children.

Twenty-eight of the confirmed children have died.

That means about two out of every three confirmed patients died.

However, this number only uses cases that were tested and officially confirmed.

Ten test results were still pending on August 27, so the totals could change.

In Kutch, officials tested homes and used insecticide to control sandflies, which can spread the virus.

Health teams are also checking people with suspicious symptoms and treating patients in hospitals.