News Analysis India

Tag: scrub typhus

  • Viral fever in Firozabad: Central team says majority cases of dengue, a few of scrub typhus

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A central team which was sent to Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh to investigate the cause of a fever outbreak and deaths among children has observed that the majority of cases are of dengue and a few are of scrub typhus and leptospirosis.

    Firozabad district has recorded 51 deaths, mostly of children, and hundreds of hospitalisations in over a fortnight and the viral fever has now spread to neighbouring Mathura and Mainpuri districts.

    Based on the observations of the central team, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary has recommended screening of all fever patients for dengue, malaria, scrub typhus and leptospirosis.

    Bhushan highlighted the need to strengthen ELISA-based testing facilities and suggested that activities related to fever survey and vector control be continued under a micro plan submitted by the central team.

    He also recommended that surveillance should be strengthened with implementation of the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) in the district in coordination with the central surveillance unit at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and that entomological activities be strengthened and continued according to standard guidelines and SOPs of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP).

    He also recommended augmenting isolation beds and admission facilities in the district hospital of Firozabad and neighbouring districts and organising a short reorientation of all doctors at primary health centres and community health centres.

    Services of experts on infectious diseases from King George’s Medical University and similar institutions may be utilised for this purpose.

    “You may recall that a central team comprising National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) officials was sent to Firozabad to investigate the cause of fever outbreak and deaths among children and suggest suitable recommendations for containment of this outbreak.

    The central team has observed that the majority of cases are due to dengue, while a few are because of scrub typhus and leptospirosis,” Bhushan said in the letter.

    He further suggested intensifying awareness activities By the district administration.

    The NCDC has deputed two epidemic intelligence service (EIS) officers in the district for a period of 14 days and they will assist the district in strengthening its outbreak response, Bhushan said.

    A district official had said that over 100 people with fever were admitted to the district hospital on Sunday.

    The hospital had over 400 patients on Sunday, the official added.

    Children are dying of viral fever and dengue, but Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is making false claims of “all is well”, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav alleged on Monday.

    There is an outcry in the state due to dengue and viral fever.

    There are huge crowds in hospitals, and children are dying due to a lack of proper and timely treatment, he said in a party statement.

    The BJP government is, however, not paying attention to the collapsed health services in the state, he added.

    Dengue fever has claimed the lives of hundreds of innocents in western Uttar Pradesh, and the outbreak is now visible in the eastern part of the state as well, Yadav alleged.

    In state capital Lucknow itself, there is a rush in hospitals, he said, adding that the disease has hit Firozabad, Mathura, Mainpuri, Kanpur and Farrukhabad among other places badly.

    The cries of mothers who have lost their children is a reality which is far away from the tall claims being made in government advertisements, the SP chief said.

    Citing various cases of hardships being faced by family members of patients in getting medical attention, Yadav alleged that the BJP government lacked sensitivity, and said dengue has exposed the reality of its claims of having improved medical facilities.

    There is widespread public anger against the BJP as it has shown disregard towards the health and the welfare of the people, he said.

    The BJP will never come back to power again, and everyone is confident that a ‘Samajwadi’ government will be formed in 2022, Yadav added.

  • UP toll crosses 100, outbreak of scrub typhus suspected

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW:   With the toll of the mystery fever stalking Uttar Pradesh crossing 100 and its geographical footprint expanding, what was thought to be viral fever and/or dengue, got a new nomenclature: scrub typhus. 

    While a visiting ICMR team did not find any trace of Covid, experts suspect the outbreak of the vector borne scrub typhus bacterial disease. During the last 24 hours, hundreds of patients with dengue and viral fever-like symptoms have thronged hospitals across Lucknow. The symptoms for the current outbreak include fever with cold, congestion and drop in platelet count.

    Firozabad district continues to be its epicentre with around 75 deaths, many of them children. Also, 17 deaths have been reported in Mathura, three in Mainpuri and two in Kasganj. In Kanpur district, the disease killed about 10 people in the last one week. 

  • ‘Mystery fever’ spreads to other districts in UP, experts call it vector-borne ‘scrub typhus’

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: After taking the Brij region and a few districts of western UP in its grip and claiming dozens of lives, the menace of the “mystery fever” with dengue-like symptoms has spread its tentacles to central UP districts including Lucknow and Kanpur.

    During the last 24 hours, hundreds of patients with dengue and viral fever-like symptoms have thronged various hospitals across Lucknow.

    At a time when the threat of the third wave of Covid is looming large, the “mystery fever” with cold, congestion, and decline in the platelet count, has taken many into its fold leading to a panic-like situation. However, the medical experts are suspecting it to be a vector-borne ‘scrub typhus’ bacterial disease.

    The worst-affected district is Firozabad where around 75 people have lost life to the disease during the last fortnight. A battery of 11 doctors, including some experts, was rushed to Firozabad to give better treatment to the victims of mystery fever.

    Moreover, a team of experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also been pressed into service to test the samples of the patients. However, so far, no traces of COVID-19 have been found in the patients of mystery fever admitted to different hospitals in the district.

    While 17 casualties have been reported from Mathura, three from Mainpuri and two from Kasganj in central UP during the last 10 -12 days. Over 300-400 patients are still admitted to hospitals.

    The sources from Kanpur said that the mystery fever has claimed around 10 lives in the district in the last week. Moreover, in Gonda, patients suffering from fever and dengue-like symptoms are reaching hospitals in large numbers.

    ALSO READ | Centre rushes experts’ team as 30 kids die of ‘mystery fever’ in UP’s Firozabad in 10 days

    The health authorities are attributing the deadly fever to incessant rains, floods, and its aftermath which leads to the spread of vector-borne diseases. The patients are coming with prominent symptoms as fever, vomiting, loose motions, cold, congestion, and decline in the number of platelets. As per the sources, while in government hospitals, around 400 patients have got admitted in the last couple of days, private hospitals are also showing a rise in the number of admissions by 20 per cent.

    “People need to be very careful and alert against waterlogging, ensure cleanliness and stop the breeding of mosquitoes in and around their dwellings to ward off dengue and viral fever,” said Dr Sanjeev Kumar of Lokbandhu hospital.

    Meanwhile, CM Yogi Adityanath has ordered the launch of a state-wide surveillance drive from September 7 to 16 during which the health officials will go door-to-door to identify those with viral fever, Covid-19 symptoms, and other diseases arising out of the seasonal vagaries.

    Under this drive, nodal officers will be appointed in every district to monitor the relief work in the areas affected by floods and heavy rains. Stating that any kind of carelessness could spiral into a scary situation, the CM said that special efforts should be made to improve surveillance. The health department, rural, and urban development, and child development departments should stay alert and run special cleanliness campaigns with inter-departmental coordination.

    The health officials have been directed to spray anti-larva and undertake fog drives in the areas where more than one dengue patient is found. People are advised to take precautionary measures to check the breeding of mosquitoes in and around their houses.

    ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) reader-based NSI (in the first five days of symptoms) and IgM (after five days) are being used to test for dengue, said the health officials.

    For the prevention of Scrub Typhus, the government ordered the administration to cut bushes regularly and take immediate action to control rats. Required medicines have been provided to the patients. Parents are advised to dress children in clothing that covers arms and legs and use mosquito netting to avoid mosquito bites.