Malappuram steps up Nipah, Shigella surveillance

The Health authorities have intensified surveillance and preventive measures in Malappuram after four residents were identified on the contact list of a Kozhikode man who tested positive for Nipah virus.

Officials said all four contacts were in the low-risk category and urged the public not to spread rumours through social media. The blood sample of one suspected case in the district has been sent for testing.

Surveillance has been intensified in Vazhayur panchayat, which borders the area linked to the Nipah case. Fourteen teams conducted a fever survey in two wards on Saturday (June 13, 2026). Health workers said no Nipah-related symptoms were detected during the survey and that monitoring would be extended to additional wards if required.

The authorities at Government Medical College, Kozhikode, confirmed that samples collected from three high-risk contacts of the Nipah patient tested negative. Health officials said the disease had not spread beyond the identified areas and that all persons under observation remained stable.

Meanwhile, concerns over Shigella infections have grown in the district. A woman from Keezhattur near Perinthalmanna died of the disease on Sunday (June 14, 2026), while Shigella bacteria were detected in the drinking water at a tender coconut parlour in Tirurangadi.

The Food Safety department ordered the closure of the juice shop in Tirurangadi after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Shigella bacteria in drinking water samples collected during an inspection on May 30.

Officials said the establishment’s operations had been suspended and that inspections would continue across the district. The public has been advised to ensure the safety of their drinking water. Shigella cases have also been reported from the districts of Kollam, Thrissur, and Malappuram in recent days.