Kerala reports 2 more Shigella deaths, toll rises to 5

Thiruvananthapuram: Two more deaths due to Shigella infection were reported in Kerala on Monday, taking the state's total death toll from the disease to five, health department officials said.

According to officials, the deceased, a seven-year-old boy, Arjav, from Pookkottur in Malappuram district, died on Monday while undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital.

Arjav had been admitted to the hospital on June 12 with fever and diarrhoea and was later diagnosed with a Shigella infection.

Additionally, the health department also confirmed that a 43-year-old person from Kodakara in Thrissur district, who died on June 13, had succumbed to the infection.

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According to the PTI report, with the confirmation of the two deaths, the number of Shigella-related fatalities reported in Kerala this year has risen to five, of which four were recorded in June, officials said,

According to data from the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), eight new Shigella cases were reported on Monday from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kannur and Kozhikode districts.

A total of 147 confirmed Shigella cases have been reported in the state this year, including 71 cases recorded in June.

Shigella is a bacterial infection that causes diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps. It spreads mainly through contaminated food or water and through contact with infected persons.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Kerala Health Department has intensified containment and prevention efforts after fresh cases of Shigella infections were reported in parts of the state. Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has directed local self-government bodies and health officials to strengthen surveillance, sanitation, and water safety interventions to prevent further spread. The government has launched urgent measures to ensure the safety of drinking water sources, with special focus on chlorination, inspection of public wells, and strict monitoring of contamination risks.

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