Sundargarh: As many as 24 persons tested positive for scrub typhus in Odisha’s Sundargarh district in the last 24 hours.
With the detection of new cases, the total number of scrub typhus patients in the district has gone up to 254 so far this year.
The deadly disease has claimed one life in Sundargarh district while five deaths have been reported from Bargarh as the highly infectious disease spread in several parts of the state, particularly in the western region.
With scrub typhus cases steadily rising in Sundargarh, the district administration along with the Health department have taken various measures to prevent spread of the disease. It has launched a massive drive to promote awareness among people about preventive steps.
ASHA workers are moving from door to door and announcing in public address system to create awareness and roadside shows are organised on symptoms and treatment of the disease.
Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) of Sundargarh Dr Dharani Ranjan Satpathy admitted that the cases of scrub typhus were increasing in the district. Stating that the situation was not alarming, he said preventive measures were the only solution.
As per reports, Balangir tops the chart in the state with a total of 337 scrub typhus cases detected in the last two months in the district.
It may be noted that scrub typhus infection spreads through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites). The common symptoms of the disease include fever and a black inflamed mark on the skin called ‘eschar’. People who frequently visit farmland or forests are highly vulnerable to the infection.