Kathmandu, Sept 4: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged one and all to remain alert of scrub typhus with symptoms similar to COVID-19, which has been reported in the country.    

Joint Spokesperson of the Ministry Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari said that scrub typhus, a disease with similar symptoms to COVID-19, has started appearing recently.

Scrub typhus, like COVID-19, causes high fever, reddening of the eyes, cough, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea, difficulty in breathing, severe headaches, joint and muscle aches and sometimes black spots on the bite site.    

Scrub typhus ‘Orinsia susugamasi’ is a disease transmitted to humans by the bite of a small tick that is infected with the bacterium. According to Dr Adhikari, scrub typhus can cause infections to the brain, liver, lungs and sometimes lead to multiple-organ dysfunction.    

The ministry has requested to test for scrub typhus even in case of negative results while testing COVID-19.    

Dr Adhikari said that the disease can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated on time. He also suggests wearing long-sleeved clothes and suitable shoes when going to the field, bush or forest and medicated ointment on the exposed part of the body to avoid tick bites.