Odisha Govt on Alert Mode After Scrub Typhus Kills 5 People

In response to the recent outbreak of Scrub Typhus in Bargarh District, the Odisha Government has issued a high alert and directed district health authorities to enhance surveillance measures and public awareness campaigns across the state. This move comes after five deaths were reported in the district due to the disease, according to an official statement released by Odisha’s Health and Family Welfare Department on Thursday.

The Health and Family Welfare Department has communicated these urgent directives to all Chief District Medical and Public Health Officers, as well as to the Directors of Capital Hospital Bhubaneswar and RGH (Rourkela Government Hospital).

“Scrub Typhus and Leptospirosis cases have been reported from multiple districts across the state. Therefore, we need to strengthen our intensive surveillance system to enable early diagnosis and ensure timely treatment for the prevention and management of Scrub Typhus and Leptospirosis,” emphasized the statement.

The Health Department has instructed district health authorities to take several proactive measures, including ensuring the availability of necessary test kits in the District Public Health Laboratory (DPHL), sensitizing doctors to recommend tests in cases of Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (PUO), and increasing public awareness about early diagnosis. Additionally, heightened surveillance efforts have been emphasized.

The department has also called for the use of appropriate antibiotics and the maintenance of an adequate stock of drugs to meet the demands of affected individuals. Furthermore, the directive specifies that all deaths attributed to these diseases should be thoroughly investigated, and necessary containment measures should be implemented. Health authorities have been instructed to regularly share disease-related data with the State Surveillance Unit (SSU) in the prescribed format.

Scrub Typhus, also known as bush typhus, is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi and is transmitted to humans through bites from infected chiggers (larval mites). The recent surge in cases has raised concerns, prompting the government to take swift and comprehensive action to curb the spread of the disease and protect public health in the state of Odisha.