Key Development

Suspected food poisoning led to the deaths of three inmates at a care home in Ernakulam district within a week, according to the Health Department. The Directorate of Health Services recorded the incident in the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), making it one of the few officially documented food poisoning–related deaths in Kerala.

Affected Population and Timeline

The deaths occurred at a care home in Kadavoor village, Paingottoor panchayat, Kothamangalam taluk. Two women aged 42 and 50 died on December 27 and 29, 2025, while another woman, aged 43, died on January 3, 2026. The facility houses around 140 residents, primarily psychiatric patients. Health officials reported that 22 inmates developed symptoms consistent with foodborne illness.

Suspected Foodborne Exposure

Health authorities suspect that food items such as cakes and meat dishes brought in by visitors or external catering sources during the Christmas period may have caused the outbreak. Limited availability of food and clinical samples prevented laboratory confirmation of the exact pathogen. However, the affected inmates showed clear clinical symptoms of food poisoning.

Environmental Findings and Control Measures

Officials collected water samples from the care home’s well and a nearby pond as part of the investigation. Pond water samples showed bacterial contamination, though the care home stated that it used only well water for cooking. In response, authorities instructed the institution to stop accepting food from third parties and reinforced hygiene and food handling controls.

Vulnerability and Risk Factors

All three deceased inmates had underlying health conditions, increasing their vulnerability to severe outcomes from foodborne infections. The deaths occurred at medical college hospitals in Kottayam and Ernakulam while the patients were undergoing treatment. Following the incident, district health authorities intensified food safety surveillance and monitoring in care homes and similar institutions across Ernakulam district to prevent recurrence.

Source: Manorama