The Maharashtra Public Health Department has urged district officials to ramp up surveillance and control measures following a sharp rise in Scrub Typhus cases. This year, the state has recorded five deaths, the highest ever in a single year, alongside dozens of new infections across several districts.
On October 13, authorities instructed deputy directors, civil surgeons, and district health officers to intensify monitoring of both the disease and its carriers. Health teams have been advised to track all fever cases lasting more than five days and treat them as suspected Scrub Typhus.
Official data shows a significant rise in both infections and fatalities compared to previous years. Till September 2025, Maharashtra reported 132 cases and five deaths. In 2024, there were 130 cases with one death, while 2023 saw 196 cases and one death. Of the five deaths this year, two occurred in Yavatmal and one each in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Chandrapur, and Nanded districts.
Scrub Typhus is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, transmitted through infected chigger mite bites. Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes a rash. Severe cases can lead to respiratory distress, brain or lung inflammation, kidney failure, multi-organ failure, and death.
Medical officers have been told to ensure diagnostic facilities, including Weil-Felix and ELISA tests, are available at all district hospitals and government medical colleges. Field workers are tasked with surveying affected villages, identifying high-risk groups such as farmers and forest workers, and conducting public awareness campaigns.
{{/usCountry}}Medical officers have been told to ensure diagnostic facilities, including Weil-Felix and ELISA tests, are available at all district hospitals and government medical colleges. Field workers are tasked with surveying affected villages, identifying high-risk groups such as farmers and forest workers, and conducting public awareness campaigns.
{{/usCountry}}The department has mandated strict vector control measures, including insecticide spraying, removing thick vegetation near homes, and proper disposal of leaves and garbage to eliminate mite breeding grounds. Citizens are advised to wear full-sleeved clothing, use insect repellents outdoors, and wash clothes and bedding in hot water after fieldwork.
All detected cases must be reported daily to the Director of Health Services before 11 a.m., with district surveillance units coordinating with regional deputy directors and laboratories for timely testing and reporting.
Dr Sandeep Sangale, joint director of Health Services, Maharashtra, said, “Given the rise in cases in Marathwada and other regions, districts must strengthen laboratory facilities and maintain continuous surveillance. Early identification of cases can improve patient outcomes and help prevent further spread.”