Shimla, Oct 16,
The death toll from scrub typhus at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla has now reached five, following the recent deaths of two young patients. A 17-year-old from Mandi and a 25-year-old from Kullu passed away on Tuesday after being admitted to the hospital several days ago. Despite ongoing treatment, their conditions worsened, resulting in their deaths.
Dr. Rahul Rao, Senior Medical Superintendent of IGMC, confirmed these recent fatalities, raising alarm over the increasing number of scrub typhus cases in the region. These two deaths bring the total number of victims to five in recent weeks. Earlier, an elderly individual from Panthaghati in Shimla and another patient from Mandi had also succumbed to the disease.
Scrub typhus is a vector-borne illness caused by infected mite bites. Health professionals report that common symptoms include high fever, joint pain, body aches, neck swelling, and underarm infections. Doctors are urging the public to seek medical attention promptly if they experience any of these symptoms.
To curb the spread of the disease, health experts recommend maintaining personal hygiene and ensuring that areas around homes are kept clean and free of overgrown grass or weeds, which are known to harbor mites. Dr. Rao emphasized the importance of these preventive measures, advising people to be proactive about cleanliness.
With scrub typhus cases continuing to rise in Himachal Pradesh, citizens are being advised to remain alert and follow necessary precautions. The health department is actively monitoring the situation, and hospitals have been instructed to remain prepared for more cases as the outbreak progresses.
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