Kozhikode, 7 June

A four-year-old girl who was undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College in Keralam after being infected with Shigella died on Saturday.

The patient Nila from Thalakkulathur was admitted on Tuesday, while the doctors confirmed the presence of Shigella bacteria on Friday.

The infection was also confirmed in a two-year-old boy from Pantheerankavu and a ten-year-old boy from Purameri. Both have recovered and been discharged.

Shigella bacteria cause shigellosis, an intestinal infection that typically leads to diarrhoea and fever. While the infection is usually mild and subsides on its own, it can cause severe complications in patients with co-morbid conditions. The bacteria enter the body through contaminated water or stale food and affect the epithelial lining of the colon, leading to inflammation of the cells.

Addressing a press conference, Keralam Health Minister K Muraleedharan informed of a potential outbreak at two schools in Wayanad, where 164 children have fallen ill. He said that the early reports suggested the cases might not be Shigella, adding that samples have been sent for final testing.

"A 4-year-old child in Kozhikode has died from Shigella, a bacterial infection. The child was being treated at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. The day before yesterday, in two schools in Wayanad--specifically at Kolliyadi Mar Baselios Higher Secondary School in Sulthan Bathery--about 164 people suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting. According to the reports received so far, the preliminary report suggests it is not part of Shigella, but samples are being tested for confirmation," he said.

He further reflected on the government's efforts in preventing the spread of the disease and said that inspections are being done to ensure food safety in food outlets and schools.

Stating that Shigella typically spreads through contaminated food or water, the Minister said that the hotels have been instructed to provide boiled and chlorinated water to customers, and unhygienic food stalls will be inspected and shut down.

"The Kerala government is taking steps to prevent the spread of the disease. Health officials are inspecting schools and hotels to ensure food and water safety. Hotels are required to provide boiled water and to chlorinate their water supplies. The Food Safety Department will conduct strict inspections of hotels and street food stalls. Unhygienic stalls will be shut down immediately," he said.

Muraleedharan further said that the government is also taking proactive preventive measures for other Ebola and other diseases.

"In addition to Shigella, the Kerala government is also monitoring for other diseases, such as Ebola. Travellers from countries where Ebola has been reported are being screened at airports," he said.

Earlier, while speaking with the media, Muraleedharan said that a person who recently arrived in the state from Uganda has been placed under quarantine as a precautionary measure. He added that four medical colleges have been prepared with isolation wards to handle any suspected cases.

"The person who has come from Uganda is in quarantine. We have arranged four medical colleges for persons coming from different places. We have given instructions, and the isolation wards are also settled. Ebola has not been reported in any place in India; there are only suspected cases. It is mainly spreading in Australia and Uganda. So, we must be vigilant," the Minister stated.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the test report of a Ugandan woman admitted to a hospital in Jaipur after exhibiting Ebola-like symptoms has returned negative for the virus, Rajasthan health authorities said.

According to the Rajasthan Public Health department, the woman, who had arrived in Rajasthan from Uganda as a tourist, was admitted to RUHS Hospital in Jaipur and kept in isolation as a precautionary measure after she developed symptoms resembling those associated with Ebola.

Her samples were sent to a specialised laboratory in Pune for testing, which confirmed that she had not contracted the Ebola virus.