7 More Scrub Typhus Cases Take Sundargarh’s Tally To 200; Total 839 In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: With seven more persons testing positive for scrub typhus, the infection tally in Odisha’s Sundargarh district has touched 200.

This has also taken the state’s total to 839.

According to Sundargarh Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Kanhu Charan Nayak, among many samples that were tested on Tuesday, seven were found infected. Scrub typhus, also known as bush typhus, is a mite-borne bacterial infection caused by bites of infected larval mites.

Ten of 59 samples had tested positive for the infection in the district on Monday. Earlier, 183 of 901 samples sent for testing were detected positive for scrub typhus.

Maximum number of such cases have been detected in Rourkela and Sundargarh towns and Majhapada area of the district, which has so far seen one death due to the infection. Keonjhar has recorded the highest number of scrub typhus cases at 627, but no deaths, while six of 12 detected positive for the infection have died in Bargarh district, sources said.

The Public Health directorate has sent a special team to Bargarh and Sundargarh to take stock of the situation. While expert team from Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla, had visited Bargarh on September 16, a Joint Director and an epidemiologist are in the district to investigate the suspected death of five persons after getting infected by scrub typhus.

Public Health Director Niranjan Mishra earlier told media that another Joint Director has been sent to Sundargarh to take stock of the situation following rise in the number of scrub typhus cases in the district. He added that the government has strengthened its surveillance system, and a number of tests have also been enhanced across the state for early diagnosis of the disease.