The number of scrub typhus cases has been growing in central Tarai, with 27 patients found infected with the disease in Chitwan in the past 10 days.

According to the District Public Health Office, 189 people were diagnosed with the bacterial disease in the district so far.

Scrub typhus is an acute, febrile, infectious illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, which, if untreated, could lead to death. Rodents are the main vectors of the disease transmitted by some species of trombiculid mites.

Dr Dayaram Lamsal at Chitwan Medical College said five patients suffering from fever were found infected with scrub typhus on Friday alone.

At least 13 people have died while scores of others fell ill due to scrub typhus since it was first diagnosed in the country in 2015. The disease is prevalent in summer season. Fever, headache, sweating, body ache, fatigue and rashes around the neck are the symptoms. Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur Hospital and Narayani Community Hospital have been providing treatment after the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division provided 200 test kits.

In Parsa, four more patients were diagnosed with scrub typhus. The patients, three of them very serious, are receiving treatment at the National Medical College in Birgunj. The hospital said that 25 scrub typhus patients had come for treatment so far. According to Dr Atindra Mishra, most of the patients visiting the hospital are children. Three seriously ill children were being treated in the ICU.