India deploys national response team as Chandipura virus kills 22 children

India on Wednesday deployed a national response team after 22 children were killed due to the Chandipura virus that causes brain inflammation.

The team will help health authorities in the western states of Gujarat and Rajasthan where the outbreak was reported, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The virus is spread by sandflies, mosquitoes and ticks during the monsoon season, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In Gujarat, dozens of children died because of the virus.

“We conducted blood tests on 184 patients… 35 tested positive for the virus,” Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said.

Rajasthan last month had also reported two deaths due to the virus.