Keralam Health Minister K Muraleedharan asserted that the Shigella outbreak reported in parts of the state remains under control, even as health authorities continue monitoring cases in Wayanad and other districts.
Speaking to ANI, Muraleedharan said a special medical team from Kozhikode Medical College has been deployed to Wayanad, where several students were admitted to the hospital following reports of Shigellosis, a highly contagious bacterial intestinal infection.
“It was reported in Pathanamthitta and in the Alappuzha district. After that, one child died because of Shigella infection. Now, 25 students in Wayanad are admitted to Sultan Bathery Taluk Headquarters Hospital. But their conditions are stable. A special medical team has been sent from Calicut Medical College to Wayanad. Everything is under control,” the minister said.
The remarks came after health officials confirmed that two students from a school in Wayanad had tested positive for Shigellosis. The confirmed cases involve a four-and-a-half-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl.
According to health authorities, 339 people have reported symptoms associated with the infection. Of these, 21 are undergoing treatment at Sultan Bathery Taluk Headquarters Hospital, while 38 others are receiving treatment at private hospitals. Officials have said that none of the patients is currently in serious condition.
A total of 21 samples were sent for laboratory testing. Two samples have tested positive so far, while the results of the remaining samples are awaited.
The outbreak has drawn attention following the death of a four-year-old girl who was undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College after being infected with Shigella. Health officials said the infection spreads through contaminated food or water and can cause diarrhoea, fever and intestinal complications, particularly among vulnerable individuals.
Meanwhile, Muraleedharan also commented on the Sabarimala gold theft case, saying further action would depend on the findings related to the charge sheet filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
“We can take further steps only if there is a mistake in the charge sheet filed by the SIT. For now, it is all under the control of the High Court,” he said.
