AIZAWL, July 6 - One person died and at least 107 people have been infected by scrub typhus in Lunglei district of Mizoram since June, a State Health department official said today.
Scrub typhus, also known as bush typhus, is a disease caused by a bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi. Scrub typhus is spread to people through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites), the official said.
Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma, State Nodal Officer for Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (ISP), said that a teacher of the Pangzawl Higher Secondary School died due to scrub typhus-induced high fever, while 54 males and 53 females have been infected by scrub typhus.
Lalmalsawma said that the scrub typhus virus was found in some rodents trapped by Health department officials and Pangzawl villagers. � PTI
