22 die of scrub typhus infection in Mizoram

, Jul 01: At least 22 people have died due to scrub typhus

from ticks since 2012 in

, a state

department official said on Tuesday.

492 patients suffering from scrub typhus infection were treated during the same period, Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma, Nodal Officer for the state Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) said.

Lalmalsawma said that the ticks carrying scrub typhus virus were mainly concentrated in Champhai district bordering Myanmar, while ticks carrying Indian Tick Typhus virus were mainly found in south Mizoram's Lunglei district.

The scrub typhus carrier ticks are extremely small and very difficult to detect in the jungle, but the bite could be fatal, he said.

PTI