Rajasthan Villages Grieve As Suspected Encephalitis Claims Lives Of Young Children
Five children die in Rajasthan; health teams survey villages, collect samples, and step up mosquito-control measures.
At least five children have died in Salumbar district, Rajasthan, in the past few days from what officials suspect could be viral encephalitis, prompting an urgent response from the state health department and district administration. The affected children, aged between one and four years, were reported from Ghata and Lalpura villages in Lasadiya block, with similar symptoms preceding their deaths.
District Collector Muhammad Junaid said the children exhibited signs including vomiting, unconsciousness, and altered sensorium, pointing to a severe neurological infection. Doctors from Udaipur Medical College have indicated that the cases could be linked to viral encephalitis. Samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for confirmation, with Chandipura virus considered as a potential cause.
Family members reported that the children initially developed fever and vomiting and were taken to local health centres before being referred to larger hospitals in Dhariyawad, Pratapgarh, and Udaipur. In several cases, the children succumbed while being shifted for treatment, highlighting the challenges of accessing timely medical care in remote villages.
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Encephalitis is a serious condition marked by brain inflammation, often caused by viral infections transmitted through mosquitoes, ticks, or other pathogens. Early symptoms typically include fever, headache, vomiting, and weakness, with children being particularly vulnerable. Delays in seeking treatment, including visits to unauthorised local practitioners, may have worsened outcomes in some cases.
In response, the district administration has launched intensive village surveys, covering 528 of 561 families in Ghata Gram Panchayat so far. Samples have been collected for laboratory testing, and anti-larval and mosquito-control measures have been implemented to curb further spread.
Across the wider Udaipur division, the health department reported that thousands of teams have surveyed over 1.2 lakh households, identified symptomatic individuals, and stepped up awareness campaigns. Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely to prevent further fatalities and contain any potential outbreak.
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