Kerala is on alert over reports of shigellosis infection in Wayanad district and a death due to the infectious disease caused by Shigella bacteria in Kozhikode, with local bodies reporting to the state health minister strengthening hygiene and sanitation measures.
A four-year-old girl who was undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College in Kerala after being infected with shigella died on Saturday, reports said. Later, two students from a school in Wayanad district tested positive for shigellosis, a highly contagious bacterial intestinal infection caused by the Shigella genus.
What is shigella virus or shigellosis?
Shigella bacteria cause an infection called shigellosis that can lead to diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps in patients. It is spread mainly through contaminated food or water or contact with infected people.
Shigella was the second leading cause of diarrhea deaths in 2016 among all ages, and the leading bacterial cause of diarrhea, responsible for about 2,12,000 deaths and about 13 percent of all diarrhea-related deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of shigellosis usually begin one or two days after infection and last seven days. Most people with shigellosis have diarrhea that can be bloody or prolonged (lasting more than three days), fever, stomach pain, or a feeling of needing to defecate (stool) even when the bowel is empty.
Kerala is on alert
Kerala Health Minister Muraleedharan on Tuesday directed local bodies to intensify hygiene and sanitation measures, and warned against closing unhygienic roadside eateries, after reports of shigella infections in Wayanad district.
Speaking at a function in Kozhikode, the minister said poor sanitation and contamination of food or water can increase the risk of disease transmission and stressed the need for strict hygiene standards in public places, including roadside eateries and food stalls.
Muraleedharan said that roadside eateries are unhygienic (com. thattukadas) will face closure.
“Many people, including dignitaries, eat from street food stalls. But hygiene must be maintained at all times. Safe drinking water and clean food preparation are essential to prevent the spread of infection,” he told news agency PTI.
The minister pointed out that diseases associated with contaminated food and water can sometimes lead to serious health complications. He called on the panchayat and municipal corporations to conduct regular cleaning activities and ensure proper waste management.
These statements came after health authorities confirmed that two students at a school in Sultan Pathiri area of Wayanad district had been infected, and days after a four-year-old girl from Thalakulathur died due to the infection.
These cases have put the Ministry of Health and the district administration on alert, leading to widespread surveillance, sanitation campaigns and public health interventions in the affected areas.
The situation is under control
Officials said the situation is under control and developments are being closely monitored to prevent any further spread of the infection.
District Medical Officer KT Rekha said 158 people, including students, teachers and parents suffering from mild symptoms of the infection, sought treatment in government and private hospitals.
Among them, 68 patients are currently undergoing treatment, including 26 in government medical colleges and 42 in private hospitals.
Rekha said that another 163 people received treatment, remained under observation and were discharged from the hospital after their condition improved.
No patient has required intensive care treatment so far, the DMO said.
Health officials advised the public to drink clean water, wash their hands regularly, and eat food from healthy sources.
The authorities continue to monitor reported cases and take preventive measures in the affected areas.
