Kerala plans ‘outbreak calendar’ to boost disease prediction and response

The Kerala government will create a calendar to map seasonal and regional disease outbreaks in the state to give an added advantage to the public health system’s response in the future.

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan, in his press conference on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, noted that Nipah cases were repeatedly reported in Perambra district of Kozhikode between May and September. Interestingly, he said, no Shigella cases have been reported so far in some districts, especially Palakkad.

“Disease patterns can change from time to time, but some viruses seem to follow seasonal patterns,” he said.

(Vector-borne diseases (such as dengue fever, malaria, and chikungunya) and water-borne diseases (such as cholera and typhoid) are common during summer and monsoon seasons, respectively.)

Mr Muraleedharan said the causes of pathogens following seasonal and regional patterns remained unclear and this was an important area of ​​research for the government and private sector.

Still, experts agree that a pandemic calendar would give the state’s public health system greater forecast accuracy and help it better calibrate disease prevention and response, he said.

Tracking cells

Mr. Muraleedharan also announced district-level monitoring cells to detect, monitor and respond quickly to outbreaks. A high-powered committee headed by Dr SS Lal will advise the government on prevention and control of the epidemic. Secretary General Sharmila Mary Joseph will be the coordinator of the committee.

He said that the government will seek the help of the Animal Husbandry Department for the prevention of zoonotic diseases. He said the Food Safety Inspectorate, Local Bodies and other departments will work together to give an added advantage to the government’s fight against the epidemic. He said the committee will draw on the expertise of doctors in the private and public sectors for this purpose.

He explained that the committee’s role is advisory, not administrative. Mr Muraleedharan rejected the accusation that the Ministry of Health was hiding Nipah and Shigellosis figures to present a rosy picture to the public.

About the Nipah case

He said the Government Medical College in Kozhikode had successfully treated a Nipah positive patient who was recently admitted with a life-threatening condition. “There has been no Nipah death in Kerala. Out of 38 people tested for Nipah, only one tested positive,” he said.

shigella cases

Mr. Muraleedharan said Kerala has witnessed 146 cases of Shigella since January 2026. However, the government controlled the death rate. So far, only five patients, including a child, have died of Shigella in the state.

Mr. Muraleedharan blamed poor monsoon clearance for the current Shigella outbreak. “I don’t blame anyone. Local and Assembly elections have exhausted the official machinery and also the political executive,” he added.