Deadly Scrub Typhus Claims 5 Lives in Odisha and 9 in Shimla

Scrub Typhus, a highly infectious disease caused by the bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi, has led to unexpected deaths in parts of India. At least five fatalities have been reported in Odisha, while nine people have succumbed to the infection in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.

In Odisha, Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer Sadhu Charan Das revealed that among the five individuals who lost their lives to this deadly infection, two cases were reported in the Sohela block, and one each in Attabira, Bheden, and Barpali blocks of Bargarh district. Additionally, four individuals tested positive for Scrub Typhus but received treatment.

Meanwhile, in Shimla, the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) has seen a significant rise in patients exhibiting symptoms of the infection, with a total of 295 confirmed cases in the district.

Scrub Typhus is transmitted to humans through the bite of mites, commonly found in grass, bushes, and on the bodies of animals such as rats, rabbits, mice, and squirrels. Its symptoms include high fever, chills, severe headache, dry cough, body aches, muscle pain, dark scab-like wounds at the site of mite bites, enlarged lymph nodes, red spots or rashes, red eyes, confusion, coma, gastrointestinal issues, liver and spleen enlargement, and meningitis.

Typically, symptoms manifest about 10 days after infection, and if left untreated, Scrub Typhus can result in multiple organ failure, a life-threatening complication. Individuals engaged in gardening and outdoor activities are at higher risk of contracting the infection.

Preventive measures include rodent control, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene, cautious handling of pets, applying mite repellents to exposed skin, and regular cleaning of surroundings, including the removal of shrubs and low vegetation. These actions are crucial to reducing the risk of Scrub Typhus infection.

Also Read: Nipah Strikes Kerala: 5 Infected, 700 Contacts Traced, 77 High-Risk Cases Identified

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