Kerala records 10 new Shigella cases, total rises to 266

Kerala reported 10 new cases of Shigella infection on Saturday, taking the state’s tally this year to 266. June alone has seen 190 infections and six deaths, with Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Wayanad among the worst affected districts.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala on Saturday reported 10 fresh cases of Shigella infection, taking the total number of infections recorded in the state this year to 266.

According to a statement issued by Health Minister K Muraleedharan’s office, new cases were reported from Malappuram (5), Kozhikode (4) and Wayanad (1).

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With the latest cases, the state has reported 190 Shigella infections during June.

Six deaths have also been recorded during the month.

According to officials, Kozhikode has reported 65 cases this month, followed by Malappuram (30), Wayanad (26), Thiruvananthapuram (18), Thrissur (13), Kollam (12), Kannur (11), Alappuzha (5), Ernakulam (4), and Idukki and Palakkad with three cases each.

Shigella is a highly contagious bacterial infection that primarily spreads through contaminated food, water or poor hygiene and causes diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps.

Meanwhile, two more people in the high-risk category for Nipah completed the mandatory 21-day quarantine period and were discharged from observation in Kozhikode on Friday.

Officials said that one person in the low-risk category was also released after remaining symptom-free.

These three individuals were colleagues of the lone Nipah patient undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital, where the patient continues to remain on ventilator support, the statement said.

No fresh hospital admissions have been reported from among the identified contacts.

At present, four people remain in very high-risk quarantine, 11 in high-risk observation, and 74 in low-risk surveillance.

The Health Department said 55 samples collected from people with Nipah-like symptoms in Kozhikode district since June 10 have tested negative.

Nipah is a zoonotic viral disease that spreads from animals to humans and can also be transmitted through close human-to-human contact.

The infection can cause severe respiratory illness and encephalitis, and has a fatality rate.