Cuttack: Scrub typhus has claimed one more life in Odisha. A saint of a Mahima Ashram in Cuttack succumbed to the disease after a brief treatment in the hospital.
According to sources, Prabhakar Das, a follower of Mahima sect, was staying in its Ashram at Anlo village under Niali block of the district. Some time back, he had gone to Nayagarh to collect some medicinal plants.
Das used to go to forest collect roots, branches, barks and leave of medicinal plants. During his one such visit, he was bitten by a mite.
Later, he was admitted in SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar. But his condition deteriorated fast despite treatment. As per his wish, he was taken back to the Ashram at Anlo where he succumbed to the bite-borne disease.
Confirming his death due to scrub typhus Niali Medical Superintendent S Naveen said they came laboratory test report has detected scrub virus in his samples.
“Following the death of the Mahima saint, we have collected samples of around 150 people in Anlo and sent to those to Cuttack for test. We will take necessary steps after getting the test report,” he added.
It may be added that three persons suffering from scrub typhus had died at a private clinic in Bargarh in a week earlier this month.
Scrub typhus, also known as bush typhus is a mite-borne bacterial infection caused by bites of infected larval mites. Fever, headache, body aches, and rash are its most common symptoms.
Also Read: Three Succumb To Scrub Typhus This Week In Odisha’s Bargarh