Chandipura vesiculovirus is transmitted through bites of infected sandflies, specifically the Phlebotomus species. The disease progresses rapidly, sometimes within 24 hours of symptom onset.
Suspected Chandipura virus has claimed at least 16 lives in Gujarat. So far, 33 cases have been reported across 14 districts. One case has been confirmed to be Chandipura vesiculovirus (CHPV) infection. It was first found in the blood samples of patients in Chandipura village, Maharashtra, in 1965. This virus is primarily associated with causing an acute neurological disease that predominantly affects children.