AI
Chennai: A 20-year-old Anna University student residing in a campus hostel died of scrub typhus on Friday despite treatment at two govt hospitals, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) said. The student, Harish , was admitted to Kalaignar Centenary Hospital on Sept 17 after suffering from high fever for four days.
Director of public health Dr A Somasundram said no other student has died from scrub typhus infection on the Anna University (AU) campus so far. He tested positive for dengue and had a low platelet count, the hospital said. Doctors said the patient’s condition remained stable and that he was responding to treatment. “A few fever cases were found in the hostel during screening, but none of them were alarming,” he said.
Scrub typhus is an acute zoonotic illness caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi and transmitted through bites from infected mites (chiggers). He was later referred to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. The university registrar has also been directed to ensure the immediate removal of bushes and discarded materials where rainwater could stagnate.
However, a PG student was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital with fever on Saturday. On Saturday, GCC commissioner G S Sameeran inspected the work.