Kerala now confronts a growing burden of Communicable Diseases Kerala, with 12 new illnesses reported in the last decade, increasing the total to 25. This alarming trend signals challenges in public hygiene and the impacts of climate change. Recent outbreaks highlight significant health concerns for residents across the state.

Understanding Communicable Diseases in Kerala

The daily routines and health practices in Choorathodu village changed drastically after a major hepatitis outbreak last April. This event infected over 300 individuals and caused three deaths. Nicy, a young mother, still worries about her son Erizal’s health; jaundice hospitalized him for 18 days, subsequently weakening his immunity. Financial strain also compounds their struggles; they spent approximately Rs 1 lakh on Erizal’s treatment without health insurance. Consequently, families like Nicy’s now practice stricter hygiene, including boiling all drinking water. Many villagers avoid lime juice from shops, fearing contamination.

Experts explain that a significant rise in preventable communicable diseases, often leading to fatalities, affects Kerala. They attribute this trend to poor cleanliness and public hygiene. In Vengoor, for example, health officials found that a broken pipeline of a KWA well, replenished with canal water, caused a jaundice outbreak. This situation clearly exposed the lack of public hygiene.

Impact on Daily Life and Public Health

The long-term health and financial consequences of these diseases are very real. Jinson K Reji, a 24-year-old footballer, remains unable to play due to lingering jaundice effects. He and his brother spent over two weeks hospitalized, costing their father Rs 80,000. Even after discharge, it took months for them to regain normal health. Jinson experiences breathing difficulties, muscle cramps, and fatigue, preventing his return to football. He now boils water daily and carries it when leaving home, a strict change from previously drinking directly from public taps. His friends also report similar health and financial struggles from their infections.

Beyond individual cases, other communicable diseases such as leptospirosis, dengue fever, and diarrhea are increasing annually across Kerala. Many residents still neglect crucial preventive measures. They avoid drinking boiled water, fail to observe “dry days” for clearing water accumulation points, improperly treat waste, or skip doxycycline for leptospirosis prevention. The variety of communicable diseases in the state increased from 13 in 2011 to 25 this year. New additions include rabies, amoebic meningoencephalitis, Scrub typhus, Zika, Nipah, and West Nile.

Addressing the Root Causes: Prevention is Key

Data shows that infected mosquito bites transmit six of the newly identified infections. Furthermore, contaminated water, food, and fecal waste cause eight infections, highlighting significant public hygiene issues, population density, and inadequate septic waste treatment. Six infections are zoonotic, spreading directly from animals to humans, which emphasizes increasing human-animal interactions. Diseases also spread from animals to humans through parasites.

Experts attribute the rise in Communicable Diseases Kerala to several factors: climate change, socio-behavioral shifts in sanitation practices, migration, and increasing population density in Kerala’s tropical climate. As human populations grow, water resources often become contaminated with fecal waste. Consuming unboiled water, therefore, results in waterborne diseases. A lack of hand hygiene also causes concern. The rising number of zoonotic diseases worries officials; people entering forests and animals entering human habitats contribute to this trend. Nipah, for instance, may stem from such human-animal interaction when humans entered fruit bats’ habitats. Global warming alters the life cycle of parasites and other disease agents. This, combined with human migration, suggests a re-emergence of diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV.

Policy and Public Behavior Challenges

Dr. Anish T. S., Nipah nodal officer for the Kerala One Health Centre, stated that the government now instructs them to detect and report more cases rather than mask them. He stresses that climate change significantly contributes to rising cases of dengue fever, hepatitis A, leptospirosis, and deadly amoebic meningitis. When surface water temperature rises, thermophilic amoeba in the water also increases. If water becomes contaminated, amoeba find more food, leading to more amoebic meningitis cases. Boiling drinking water remains the best method to avoid such infections. Additionally, individuals should drink hot beverages when outside. Unfortunately, many Malayalis now prefer filters over boiling water. Normal filters are less effective against viruses than boiling. A past hepatitis outbreak in a Malappuram school, for example, occurred after the school switched from boiling water to a filter that became ineffective.

Towards a Prevention-Oriented Healthcare System

Experts advocate for Kerala to adopt a prevention-oriented health policy, moving away from a curative-focused system. Controlling infectious diseases, many of which are vaccine-preventable, remains a significant challenge. Despite causing numerous fatalities, strong resistance to vaccination persists due to various factors, including religious beliefs. Leptospirosis is increasing, further exacerbated by garbage issues and waterlogging in low-lying areas. Currently, most government funds target tangible curative institutions. Local politicians and the public often prioritize establishing hospitals over disease prevention. Dr. V. Ramankutty, research director at Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur, emphasizes this crucial need. He asserts that government focus must shift from curative measures to disease prevention. While the “One Health” program initiated this, he laments its limited reach. His concerns mirror experiences in Varapuzha, where waterlogging forced residents indoors for months. Blocked culverts from highway construction cause stagnant water, making disease contraction like leptospirosis a constant fear. Residents remained home for months until recent rains subsided.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Why has Kerala seen a rise in communicable diseases?

Kerala has experienced a significant increase in communicable diseases due to poor public hygiene, inadequate waste treatment, increasing population density, human-animal interactions leading to zoonotic diseases, and climate change, which impacts pathogen survival and vector activity.

Q2: How did the hepatitis outbreak in Choorathodu village highlight public hygiene issues?

The hepatitis outbreak in Choorathodu village, which infected over 300 people, was traced to contaminated water from a broken pipeline of a KWA well. This incident clearly exposed critical failures in public hygiene and water infrastructure maintenance.

Q3: What are some key preventive measures individuals can take against these diseases?

Individuals can prevent many communicable diseases by consuming only boiled water, practicing good hand hygiene, properly treating waste, avoiding water accumulation points to control vectors, and taking prescribed prophylactic medications like doxycycline for leptospirosis.

References

Communicable disease overload in Kerala: State reported 12 more diseases in adecade; marker of poor public hygiene and climate change – ETHealthworld.
Care Health Insurance. What Causes Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases in Kerala?
National Centre for Disease Control. Kerala – Health and Vulnerability Assessment.

Disclaimer: This article was automatically generated from publicly available sources and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. OC Academy does not exercise editorial control or claim authorship over this content. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider and refer to current local and national clinical guidelines.