Significant Update

Shigellosis has resurfaced in Kerala, with a three-year-old child from Kottukal in Thiruvananthapuram district testing positive and receiving treatment at SAT Hospital. The child travelled with her family to Nagercoil on August 12 and reportedly had a cold drink from a roadside vendor on the way back. She developed diarrhoea and vomiting the next day and was later admitted to SAT Hospital Sree Avittam Thirunal Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. Doctors confirmed the infection on August 18, and she is now recovering.

The case has prompted the Health Department to renew its warning, urging people to take care when consuming food and beverages outside their homes, especially during the festival season. Officials also reported a shigellosis case in Vizhinjam on August 18, along with cases from Pazhayannur in Thrissur, Kattipara in Kozhikode and Noolpuzha in Wayanad.

How Shigellosis Spreads

Shigella bacteria cause shigellosis, also known as bacillary dysentery. The infection spreads through contaminated food and water and contact with contaminated surfaces. Symptoms usually appear within one to two days and include fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, blood in stools and a frequent, painful urge to pass stools.

The infection can become severe in children under five. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems also face a higher risk of complications. The Health Department advises people with diarrhoea to use oral rehydration solutions to prevent dehydration and seek medical care if symptoms continue.

Kerala Records 441 Confirmed Cases

Kerala saw major shigellosis outbreaks in June and July, with more than 225 cases and six deaths reported in Kozhikode, Malappuram and Wayanad. Authorities declared outbreaks in five districts—Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Thrissur and Alappuzha.

By August 18, Kerala had recorded 441 confirmed cases, 106 probable cases and eight deaths from shigellosis in 2026. The State recorded 133 cases and no deaths in 2025. With cases continuing to emerge, health officials are stressing safe drinking water, hygienic food handling and regular handwashing to curb the spread of the infection.

Source: The Hindu