Shimla, Jul 20 (PTI) With the onset of monsoon, 11 cases of scrub typhus have been reported in Shimla, officials said on Wednesday.

Also known as bush typhus, the infectious disease scrub typhus is instigated by bacteria and illness that could lead to death if symptoms are not promptly reported and timely medical treatment is not provided.

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Shimla Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Surekha Chopra has cautioned the people regarding the disease and asked them to immediately go for a check-up if symptoms like persistent high fever, skin lesions and rashes, along with massive size of lymph nodes are noticed.

The disease spreads with bite by larva and the symptoms appear after 10 to 12 days. People working in fields and bushes should keep their body, especially legs and hands covered and take care of hygiene, she said, adding that the facility of testing for scrub typhus is free and available at all health care institutions.

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People have been advised to keep the surroundings clean, and maintain personal hygiene, immediately eliminate rodents, like mice and rats that carry mites, chiggers, in and around the place of dwelling and avoid going to places where cases of scrub typhus have been reported in considerable numbers.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)