Odisha agriculture secy Arabinda Padhee tests positive for scrub typhus

The Principal Secretary of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment department, Arabinda Padhee has tested positive for scrub typhus. Padhee had got himself tested after developing symptoms two days back and the result returned positive for scrub typhus.

Padhee’s condition is said to be stable and he is currently undergoing treatment at home. Health department sources said Padhee was diagnosed with scrub typhus at early stage.

Scrub typhus which was confined to a few districts of Odisha has now spread to other parts of the state as well. It is pertinent to mention here that the number of scrub typhus cases in the state has crossed 2,820.

The state government is now focusing on increasing testing and early testing and providing necessary treatment. Earlier, a central team had visited several parts of Odisha to examine the increase of scrub typhus cases in the state.

Scrub typhus, also known as bush typhus, is a disease caused by bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi. The disease spreads among people through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites).