Chitwan, September 16

More than 200 people have been found suffering from scrub typhus, a bacterial disease that spreads from mice bite, in Chitwan district alone.

District Public Health Office Chitwan’s insect control inspector, Ram KC, said the exact number of patients suffering from scrub typhus was known after the result of blood tests conducted from April/May till mid-September at three different hospitals in the district came out.

“A total of 613 patients in question got their blood tested and among them, 205 have so far been found to have contracted the disease,” he said.

As per the records at the office, as many as 188, nine and eight persons were diagnosed with the disease over the period of four to five months at Chitwan Medical College, Narayani Community Hospital and Bharatpur Hospital, respectively.

These are the only health facilities that conduct screening for the disease.

The disease has so far killed two persons. The two, who died of the disease in course of treatment at Chitwan Medical College, were from Chitwan and Tanahun.

Meanwhile, Bharatpur Hospital lately has made the blood test for the disease free of cost. The free of cost lab test has become possible after the District Public Health Office provided the hospital with 200 kits.