Ten people have died from scrub typhus in Salyan district, Karnali Province, with 817 confirmed infections, according to the Health Service Office Salyan. The latest fatality is Jit Bahadur Malla, a 62-year-old resident of Darma Rural Municipality-4, who died during treatment in Nepalgunj.
Malla tested positive for scrub typhus on Ashwin 28 (BS). After being discharged from the district hospital, he developed respiratory problems and was taken to Nepalgunj via Ghorahi for further treatment, where he passed away, said Yagya Bahadur Basnet, head of the health branch of Darma Rural Municipality.
Darma Rural Municipality has the highest number of infections in Salyan, with 281 confirmed cases. Other affected areas include Bagchaur Municipality with 247 cases, Kumakh Rural Municipality with 82, Kapurkot Rural Municipality with 69, Salyan District Hospital with 66, and Chhatreshwari Rural Municipality with 51. Additionally, Bangad Kupinde Municipality has 11 cases, Triveni Rural Municipality has 6, Siddhakumakh Rural Municipality has 3, and Kalimati Rural Municipality has 2.
National overview of scrub typhus
Nationwide, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD), an agency under the Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene, has verified 10,210 scrub typhus infections across 74 districts since January 2026, with seven deaths reported as of October 19, 2026.
Scrub typhus is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, transmitted through the bite of infected mites. The disease is particularly prevalent during the rainy season, with mites found in bushes, tall grasses, and overgrown areas around homes.
Prevention and symptoms
Health workers are urging residents to take precautions to reduce the risk of infection. They advise wearing full-sleeved clothing, boots, and gloves when working in grassy or bushy areas, and keeping surroundings clean. Symptoms of scrub typhus include fever, headache, body aches, and a dark scab at the site of the mite bite. Health officials recommend seeking timely medical attention if these symptoms appear, as delayed treatment can lead to severe health complications.
The EDCD has been holding discussions with provincial and local authorities since June to address scrub typhus prevention and control. The ministry is also monitoring the infection’s status and trends through surveillance systems like the Early Warning and Reporting System (EWARS) and the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS).
Furthermore, essential testing materials and medicines are being ensured in high-risk areas. Rapid diagnostic kits for scrub typhus have been dispatched to provinces and local levels, with 5,000 kits maintained as buffer stock at the Management Division of the Department of Health Services.
