Nagpur: Scrub Typhus, a mite-borne disease, has gripped Nagpur and has claimed the lives of at least 12 people in the city. Over 55 patients have tested positive, including a two-year-old girl, who is currently being treated in the pediatric ICU at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nagpur.
The latest victim of Scrub Typhus was 43-year-old Chandrakala Murari Ukey of Madhya Pradesh, who died on September 1.
A team of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been sent to the city to ascertain the cause of the outbreak.
The disease is caused by a bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi and is spread to people through bites of infected chigger mites that are 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm in size.
These mites are mostly found in areas with lots of vegetation and on bodies of large animals. The outbreak usually happens with the onset of monsoon season.
Reports indicate that 50 per cent of people affected by Scrub Typhus die if they do not get immediate medical attention.
Dr Milind Ganvir, assistant director health said, “The disease in under control in Nagpur. People should focus on maintaining cleanliness. The number of patients are increasing as patients from Madhya Pradesh are also coming to Nagpur for better treatment."
Out of twelve deaths, seven have been reported from Nagpur, with one each from Bhandara and Akola and three from Madhya Pradesh.
Apart from Scrub Typhus, 274 cases of Dengue with 2 deaths and 1398 cases of Malaria with 2 deaths have also been reported from Nagpur from April 2018.