Scrub typhus toll rises to 6 in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Following the death of another person allegedly due to scrub typhus, the toll due to the disease has gone up to six in Odisha. The latest scrub typhus death has been reported from Sundargarh district. Earlier, five persons from Bargarh district had succumbed to the disease, health officials said on Thursday. ''Since January, 132 scrub typhus positive cases have been detected in Sundargarh district, of which almost all people have been cured. However, we received a report claiming that a patient allegedly died due to scrub typhus,'' said Kanhu Charan Nayak, Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer of Sundargarh.

The patient was suffering from various diseases and was under treatment in ICU for 20 days. So, investigation is in progress to find the exact cause of death, he said.

The scrub typhus infection spreads when a chigger bites someone. People who frequently visit farmlands or forests are vulnerable to the infection, officials said.

When fever continues for several days, the patient should go through an ELISA test to find out if he/she is suffering from scrub typhus. The test is available at the district public health laboratories in every district. If diagnosed early, the disease can be treated effectively, they said. Meanwhile, the State government has asked healthcare officials to strengthen the surveillance system for early diagnosis of scrub typhus and leptospirosis. Public Health Director Niranjan Mishra has written to all chief district medical and public health officers and directors of Capital Hospital and Rourkela Government Hospital in this regard. ''Scrub typhus and leptospirosis cases are being reported from most districts. So an intensive surveillance system for early diagnosis is needed to ensure timely treatment,'' Mishra said.