LUCKNOW, Oct. 25 -- Doctors in Lucknow are increasingly considering scrub typhus testing in patients with persistent fever, as its symptoms overlap with those of dengue, malaria and other seasonal infections. At King George's Medical University (KGMU), a spike in scrub typhus cases has been reported over the past week, with 8-10 of the 40-45 samples tested daily returning positive results.

More than 80 cases were reported by government and private hospitals in Lucknow between January 1 and October 24, 2026, with most cases recorded during June and September, when vegetation is typically dense, said Yogesh Raghuwanshi, district health education and information officer at the chief medical officer's office.

Scrub typhus is an acute infect...