Scrub typhus claims 12 lives in Meghalaya
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Scrub typhus, an uncommon disease, has so far claimed 12 lives in the last three months in the State.All these deaths are reported from KJP Hospital, Jaiaw.
It is learnt that the hospital has so far detected 500 cases since 2009. This year alone the hospital has treated 250 patients suffering from this unusual disease.
A number of patients suffering from scrub typhus are at present undergoing treatment at the Nazareth Hospital in the city.
When contacted, Dr David Tariang of the Jaiaw hospital said, “This disease is mainly caused due to the bites of mites. Mostly people who reside in the rural areas are being infected by this disease.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister (in-charge Health) Rowell Lyngdoh said that the government does not have any information regarding the outbreak of this disease.
“We have not received any report and we can decide on creating awareness only if it is alarming”, he said.
Meanwhile, a senior government official said the Health and Family Welfare Department does not have the exact number of people suffering from this disease.
“We do not have the figures on patients suffering from this disease. As per the official record, there is only single case which was reported in 2006,” the official said.
In Meghalaya the disease was detected by Dr Tariang in 2004.
Prior to 2004, the disease was treated as malaria due to ignorance and no proper study was done on this disease.
Dr Tariang had carried out extensive study and collected samples after returning from CMC, Vellore where he had served for many years.
The decease is known as Ricketial infections in South India and Jammu and Kashmir.