Scrub Typhus Claims 5 Lives; 4 Undergoing Treatment In Odisha’s Bargarh

Bargarh: At least five persons have died of scrub typhus in Bargarh district of Odisha even as the disease was reported in some parts of the state since last month.

This was stated by Additional District Public Health Officer (ADPHO) of Bargarh, Sadhu Charan Dash.

While five persons have died of the disease since August 31, four more have been tested positive for scrub typhus recently and they are undergoing treatment at present. Their condition is stable, said Bargarh District Public Health Officer Sadhu Charan Dash.

Two patients from Sohela block and one each from, Bheden, Barpali and Attabira blocks have died due to the disease, he said. The patients who died had been diagnosed with the disease in medical facilities outside Bargarh district.

Two were diagnosed with scrub typhus at VIMSAR while two others at Vikash Hospital at Burla. Another patient was diagnosed with the disease at a hospital in Balangir, he said.

Stating that blood samples of 168 persons were tested last month, he said 142 samples were tested by September 10 and four scrub typhus cases have been detected.

It may be noted here that 22 cases of scrub typhus have been detected at VIMSAR, Burla, in the past four days.

Public Health Director Dr Niranjan Mishra has informed testing facility and treatment for the bacterial infection is available at all district headquarters hospitals in the state.

Scrub typhus is caused by a bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi. It spreads to people through bite of infected chiggers. People especially farmers, who frequent farmland or forest, often get infected. The most common symptom of scrub typhus is fever and a dark, scab-like region called ‘eschar’ develops at the bite spot. Treatment is easy and available at district headquarters hospitals and there is nothing to panic.

Scrub typhus can be detected through ELISA system available at District Public Health Laboratory. Doctors have been asked to test people for scrub typhus if fever persists. If diagnosed early, the disease can be treated effectively. Those infected respond to antibiotics, Mishra said.

Cases of scrub typhus have been reported from Keonjhar, Bargarh, Nabarangpur and Sundargarh districts.