BHUBANESWAR: Amid an alarming rise in scrub typhus cases in Odisha, a senior bureaucrat of the government has tested positive for the disease. So far eight persons have reportedly died of the disease and 2,820 tested positive. Sources said principal secretary of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department Arabinda Kumar Padhee was detected positive for scrub typhus after he developed symptoms.
He is undergoing treatment at home and his condition is stated to be stable. Scrub typhus, commonly called bush typhus, is caused by the intracellular parasite Orientia tsutsugamushi and spread to people through the bite of infected chiggers (larval mites) usually found in farmland, bushy areas and gardens.
Health department sources said Padhee has been diagnosed with the disease at an early stage and is undertreatment.
So far, 22,077 samples have been tested this year and 2,820 among then tested positive for scrub typhus. Most of the cases are from four districts - Keonjhar (752), Balangir (462), Sambalpur (280) and Khurda (105). As there is no let up in the number of cases and the disease has spread to more than 20 districts, the central team, which had visited the state to review the situation, has advised the state government to intensify testing and follow the proper treatment protocol.
The central team visited Sundargarh, Bargarh, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts besides VIMSAR, Burla where a number of patients are being treated. They have directed the state health authorities to discourage rapid card tests and encourage serological and ELISA testing for confirmation. The team besides appreciating Odisha’s endeavour to initiate scrub typhus surveillance since 2019, also stressed on sensitisation of doctors involved in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
The team also held a discussion with the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) and advised it to support the state to strengthen its testing mechanism. Director (public health) Dr Niranjan Mishra said there is a discrepancy in deaths as the patients have died in private facilities, where tests were done through rapid test kits.
“Scrub typhus can be accurately detected through the ELISA test. We have appealed to people to come to government facilities if they develop symptoms and get the tests done. Early diagnosis and treatment can cure it,” he added. Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture Ranendra Pratap Swain has wished Padhee speedy recovery from the disease.
“Got to know that our @krushibibhag Principal Secretary Dr @arvindpadhee has tested positive for #ScrubTyphus. Praying to Lord Jagannath for his speedy and complete recovery,” he said on X.