North Kerala was put on high alert after an 11-year-old boy died and 20 suspected cases of bacterial shigella infection were reported in Kozhikode on Saturday, the district doctor Dr. Jayashree said.
He said that the death occurred two days ago and later 20 people with symptoms, mild diarrhea and fever, were admitted to various hospitals. Most of those infected were people who came into direct contact with the deceased.
State Health Minister KK Shailaja said the health department will hold a health camp in the area in a couple of days and that it is investigating to locate the main source of infection. She said health experts have said the infection spreads through water and food, and maintaining good hygiene is the main way to control the spread.
Concerned health authorities have superchlorinated all bodies of water in the area on Friday. Last year, more than 40 children from West Lower Elementary School, Keezhppayyur, were hospitalized after complaining of vomiting and diarrhea. The presence of the shigella bacteria was confirmed in the stool samples of at least two of these students, which were later recovered. Later, the district health department tracked down the presence of the bacteria from the body of water in the brothers’ home.
According to health experts, shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria shigella, which triggers stomach pain, diarrhea and fever in those infected. Although it is a global problem, shigella is seen more frequently in developing countries, especially in crowded places such as schools, nurseries, nursing homes, or regions with poor sanitary conditions. In some cases, people infected with the shigella bacteria have no symptoms, but they are still contagious.
In addition to water, there is the potential for the bacteria to spread through contaminated food, although the chances of that happening are lower in this case, authorities said. The health department has directed the community medicine department to re-investigate each case and submit a report as soon as possible.
Health experts said that the infection is not as deadly, but that if ignored it will aggravate the state of health and the patient can die of dehydration and exhaustion. But if ignored, it can pose serious problems. “It has already been diagnosed. It is not a serious threat. We have to maintain personal hygiene, ”said Dr. C. Anoop Kumar, head of the intensive care unit at Baby Memorial Hospital in Kozhikode. He was one of the first to diagnose the Nipah virus two years ago.
Fatal cases of the Nipah virus were reported in the district two years ago, but it was effectively located and contained, although it claimed 17 lives.
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