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Amid the outbreak of viral encephalitis, these are the key symptoms to look out for
There have been 162 cases of viral encephalitis in Gujarat, of which 73 have died. Encephalitis is inflammation of brain tissue caused by an infection or an autoimmune reaction. The inflammation causes swelling in the brain, which can lead to headaches, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, mental confusion and seizures. Encephalitis can sometimes lead to death.

73 people died due to viral encephalitis in Gujarat
Gujarat is witnessing the worst outbreak of Chandipura virus. According to reports, Health Minister JP Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha that 53 cases of Chandipura virus have been reported in the country. Of these, 19 people have died and all of them are from Gujarat. Apart from these, there are 162 such cases, out of which 162 have died. Viral Encephalitis According to a report by The Hindu, 73 cases have been reported in Gujarat and 73 people have died.
What is Chandipura virus?
Chandipura virus (CHPV) is a member of the Rhabdoviridae and has caused outbreaks in rural areas of India. This infection usually affects children. Its symptoms are similar to encephalitis and can be fatal. Encephalitis is inflammation of brain tissue caused by an infection or autoimmune reaction. The inflammation causes swelling in the brain, which can cause headaches, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, mental confusion and seizures. Encephalitis can sometimes lead to death.
Encephalitis can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection, or by immune cells mistakenly attacking the brain. Viruses that cause encephalitis can be spread by insects such as mosquitoes and ticks.
Symptoms of encephalitis
This condition can cause different symptoms in different people. It can also cause changes in vision or hearing. Some of the symptoms of infectious encephalitis are:
- Headache
- Fever
- muscle or joint pain
- Fatigue or weakness.
These symptoms are followed by more serious symptoms. These include:
- stiff neck
- confusion, agitation, or hallucinations
- Recovery
- Loss of feeling or inability to move parts of the face or body
- Irregular activities
- muscle weakness
- Trouble speaking or hearing
- Loss of consciousness, including coma.
The symptoms of encephalitis in children are:
- Bulging of the soft spots on the baby’s scalp
- nausea and vomiting
- Stiffness affecting the whole body
- Not feeding properly or not waking up for meals
- Irritability.
Complications of encephalitis
There are various factors that affect the complications of encephalitis. These factors are your age, the cause of the infection, the severity of your illness, and the time from illness onset to treatment. The Mayo Clinic says that people with relatively mild illness usually recover within a few weeks and have no long-term complications.
Here, a look at the complications of serious illness.
- Swelling can cause brain damage, resulting in coma or even death
- Fatigue that doesn’t go away
- muscle weakness or lack of coordination
- Personality changes
- Memory problems
- changes in hearing or vision
- Difficulty in speaking.
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