VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has directed health officials to step up awareness campaigns on scrub typhus and ensure timely treatment before the disease turns severe.
The Chief Minister reviewed the situation with Health Department Principal Secretary Saurabh Gaur at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
He expressed concern over recent cases in the State, including the reported death of a woman, Chandaka Rajeshwari, in Vizianagaram district.
He stressed that such incidents must not recur and instructed officials to educate people about the risks posed by chigger mite bites, which transmit the disease.
Officials explained that Rajeshwari had initially been treated for typhoid, but subsequent rapid tests confirmed scrub typhus. Despite receiving treatment at the Vizianagaram district hospital, she succumbed to the illness.
Health authorities clarified that scrub typhus is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi and is not contagious. The infection spreads through bites from chigger mites.
Symptoms include high fever, chills, severe headache, muscle pain, and sores at the bite site. Officials assured that with early diagnosis and proper treatment, patients can recover without complications.
The Chief Minister instructed the department to launch awareness campaigns in rural areas, promote cleanliness to reduce mite infestations, and encourage immediate medical testing after insect bites.
He also directed hospitals to be prepared to provide treatment promptly.
Officials reported that scrub typhus cases have also been registered this year in Chittoor and Kakinada districts.
The Chief Minister emphasised that no one should face life-threatening consequences from small insect bites, and that widespread awareness is the most effective safeguard.