The death toll due to scrub typhus in Himachal Pradesh has reached to 24 while 825 patients have been tested positive and are under treatment in various hospitals, officials said today.
Disclosing this after reviewing the situation at a high level meeting, Principal Secretary (Health) Prabodh Saxena said "effective measures" have been taken to control the disease.
The state health department has urged the general public to wear full sleeve clothes while going to fields as scrub typhus spreads during monsoon.
They have also been advised to cut grass around the houses and in case of fever, go for medical examination to the nearest health institute.
"There is no need for panic as it has been found that the cases of scrub typhus has not gone up and the surveillance activities and diagnostic facilities had been increased," said Saxena.
All medical officers have already been directed to treat the suspected scrub typhus cases free of cost and the required medicines have also been made available at all primary health centers, he said.
"However, there is need for further evaluation to assign these deaths to scrub typhus as there might be associated co-morbid condition," he added.
Scrub Typhus is caused by the bite of mites and rats in agricultural fields. The symptoms include severe headache, high fever and rashes, similar to that in dengue and malaria.
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