As Shigella spurs panic in Kerala, health dept says nothing to worry downtoearth.org.in - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from downtoearth.org.in Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Shigellosis an infection of the intestines caused by Shigella bacteria is one of the leading causes of death among children aged under five, with bloody diarrhoea worldwide, especially in low-income developing countries of Africa and South Asia, Hilleman Laboratories says.
According to the 2015 Global Burden of Disease report, diarrhoeal diseases were collectively responsible for 1.3 million deaths across all age groups around the world.
Shigella bacteria cause some 500,000 cases of the diarrheal disease in the United States every year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a 2015 Reuters report.
How many cases?
Health authorities are on high alert after 15 more suspected cases of Shigella infection were identified during a special medical camp held at Kottamparamba near Mayanad in Kozhikode corporation limits on Saturday. As many as 119 persons attended the medical camp.