Kathmandu, 3 Oct: The infection of scrub typhus is spreading rapidly across Nepal. Since January 2026, a total of 9,872 people across the country have tested positive for scrub typhus. The disease has now been reported in 74 districts.
According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, no cases have so far been confirmed in Humla, Mugu, and Dolpa districts. In just the past month, an additional 2,718 people have been infected with scrub typhus. After three deaths from the disease were confirmed in Salyan over the past month, a team from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division has reached Darma Rural Municipality of Salyan for investigation.
According to Division Director Dr. Anuj Bhattachan, the infection has been reported in all seven provinces. Lumbini Province has recorded the highest number of cases recently. Cases have also been reported in Karnali, Sudurpashchim, Gandaki, and other provinces. The number of scrub typhus cases has increased because people spend more time working in grasslands, bushes, and shrub-covered areas during and after the monsoon season.
Dr. Bhattachan said that this is a period when scrub typhus infections are generally high, resulting in an increase in patients from different provinces and districts. The disease can be controlled if patients with fever are tested and treatment is started on time. According to him, Darma Rural Municipality in Salyan has recently emerged as a high-risk area for scrub typhus.
Although reports have emerged that more than 600 people have been infected and eight people have died in Darma alone, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division has not yet confirmed these figures. Hem Raj Pandey, information officer of the Division and chief of the Disease Surveillance and Research Section, said confirmation of the deaths from scrub typhus is still pending.
“We have now arrived in Salyan with a team from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division,” he said. “The reports of eight deaths are yet to be confirmed.”
Nepal also recorded a high number of scrub typhus infections last year. According to laboratory-confirmed data from the Division, 10,192 people were diagnosed with scrub typhus in 2025. Province-wise, 3,460 cases were recorded in Lumbini, 2,036 in Sudurpashchim, and 1,234 in Gandaki.
Scrub typhus is a disease caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected larval mites. People who work in grassy areas, fields, forests, and bushy areas are particularly at risk of infection.
According to infectious disease specialist Dr. Anup Bastola, the major symptoms of scrub typhus include high fever, headache, body aches, chills, swollen lymph nodes, skin rashes, and a dark, scab-like mark at the site of the mite bite. Some patients may also experience coughing, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Dr. Bastola said scrub typhus can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated in time. Patients should receive treatment at a health facility according to the advice of a medical professional.
To prevent the disease, Dr. Bastola advised people working in grasslands or bushy areas to wear clothing that fully covers the body and to use shoes and gloves. People should also keep bushes and overgrown vegetation around their homes clean. Anyone who develops a fever should avoid taking medicines randomly and should seek medical attention immediately.
According to a correspondent in Hile, 1,068 cases of scrub typhus have been reported in Koshi Province since January 2026. Among the 14 districts of Koshi Province, Sankhuwasabha has recorded the highest number, with 513 cases.
Similarly, 118 cases have been reported in Sunsari and 110 in Bhojpur. The Health Directorate in Dhankuta said that 96 cases have been recorded in Okhaldhunga, 43 each in Dhankuta and Khotang, and 37 in Jhapa.
