As focus on Scrub Typhus increases in Andhra Pradesh, it has come to light that two women, one a 20-year-old and another a 64-year-old, from Palnadu district died after testing positive for the disease in November.
M. Jyothi, aged 20, from Muppalla mandal had at first presented with the symptoms of fever and diarrhoea and went to a private hospital for treatment. With no improvement in her condition, she got admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS-Mangalagiri) on October 24 and died on November 1. The second woman, Nagamma, aged 64, from Rajupalem mandal was taking treatment for fever at Sattenapalle Area Hospital and was then referred to the Guntur Government General Hospital (GGH). She died on November 16.
Palnadu District Medical and Health Officer B. Ravi said while it is true that they tested positive for Scrub Typhus, it is not yet confirmed if they died because of it. “We are in the process of finding out the causes and if they had any co-morbidities. Nagamma had some liver-related issues. We have formed Rapid Response Teams teams from the GGH-Guntur to investigate their deaths,” Dr. Ravi said.
He added that the teams would look at the medical records, visit the families and examine the conditions they were living in. Dr. Ravi said while Jyothi’s family members are goat herders, Nagamma was an agricultural worker.
