Central Team Blames Late Diagnosis & Delayed Treatment For Scrub Typhus Deaths In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The central team has attributed eight deaths due to scrub typhus in western Odisha to late diagnosis and delayed treatment.

The state saw over 2,800 cases this year.

A multi-disciplinary central team visited Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar for a situational analysis of scrub typhus in the state and found that a delay in testing, hospital admission and initiation of treatment in some cases. It blamed occupational and behavioural risk factors associated with illness for the spike in cases in the region in its interim report to the government, TNIE reported.

The report, quoting a team, said that majority of patients reside in close proximity to forests or farms in presence of rodents, pets or livestock and they walk barefoot and do not maintain proper personal hygiene. Open defaecation was also seen as a possible exposure factor for contacting the disease in many cases.

The central team has recommended regular orientation of medical officers and field health staff to emphasise on early diagnosis and testing to prevent possible complications. Besides strengthening of syndromic surveillance for fever and referral system of critically ill patients, it also stressed accessible and affordable sanitation options, the report added.