By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 19: Principal Secretary of Health, Sampath Kumar on Sunday said the state’s scrub typhus condition is not concerning because it is typical for the disease to be more prevalent at this time of the year and is easily treatable if not ignored or delayed.
“It is a disease that is actually related to the environment, and this is typically the month when you get a large number of cases because after the rainy season the breeding of these carriers of bacteria (called mites) transfer the bacteria through their bites,” Kumar said.
“It’s not a particularly concerning thing. Scrub typhus follows a regular seasonal rhythm, and this month it will be particularly high. Nothing can be done about it. People should contact hospitals as soon as they notice a bite; they will be given medication, and the condition should be resolved,” he remarked.
Expressing regret that two lives have been lost, Kumar pointed out that it is an illness that can be readily avoided and that people should recognise the scar left by a bite and seek medical attention without delay.
He did add, though, that if it is postponed for more than a week, it may become serious and result in organ failure.
He said the department is currently counselling the traditional healers as many people visit them in order for them to recognise and send such situations to a doctor, noting that numerous advisories have been published from time to time.
The Principal Health Secretary announced that a meeting with all medical officers will be arranged to discuss this specific issue.
Two persons have died from scrub typhus, while numerous others are receiving treatment at the Dr. H. Gordon Roberts Hospital in Jaiaw.
Doctors have explained that scrub typhus can spread when berry bugs or chiggers bite an infected person and then bite a healthy individual.
Patients with the infection have been admitted to the hospital from a number of Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts, including Ri-Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, and South West Khasi Hills.