The seasonal outbreak Scrub Typhus claimed another life in Himachal Pradesh taking the death toll to 18 as a patient succumbed to mysterious fever at Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital here. 

Senior Medical Superintendent Dr Ramesh Chand confirmed that a 21-yr-old youth belonging to Phayal area of Shoghi outskirt of this capital town tested positive for the viral fever and was admitted in the intensive care unit of IGMC on September 30. He succumbed last night. He said that with this, the death toll mounted to 18 in the state as 18 have been killed at IGMC and one at . As Many as 361 patients were found positive for the deadly viral fever . He said that Dr Rajinder Praasad Medical College Hospital at Tanda reported second death in last one week as a 48-yr-old patient also died in the hospital on September 22. 

State communicable diseases and road accidents are the largest killer of people in the state. SMS has been flashed on the mobile phone to create awareness among the masses to save them from the outbreak . The state health department has distributed pamphlets and posters to raise awareness on the disease and asked people to seek timely treatment. Most of victims are women and belonged to rural background. The patients suffering with this disease were coming from various part of this hill state being tested positive. The seasonal pathogen infested most of victim after biting of mite when patient goes to work in the field in infested with weed and in grassy landscapes and pasture in the monsoon season. Most of the victims and patients reported in the hospital were working rural households woman who complained of deep red and blue scars around bite spot followed by mysterious fever. 

The pathologist attributes this disease caused by an infection created by Orientia Tsutsugamushi Bacteria enters in human body after biting of mites in the shrubs. The first symptom of disease is high intensity and mysterious fever which require regular administration of specific antibiotics prescribe even before the patient tested positive for it as patients were being treated in the Medicine unit of hospital. He said that most of patients were first reported in the regional state and private hospitals however it they are being referred to IGMC if any of them suspected with this disease delay in the treatment may cause fatality.