Mi up in reporting Cholera cases exposes communication lapse in Kerala’s Health dept
A statement by Health Minister K. Muraleedharan confirming two cholera cases in Palakkad district triggered confusion on Saturday (June 13, 2026), apparently due to a
A statement by Health Minister K. Muraleedharan confirming two cholera cases in Palakkad district triggered confusion on Saturday (June 13, 2026), apparently due to a communication lapse within the Health department headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. The confusion centred on two patients treated at P.K. Das Medical College, Vaniyamkulam, whose cases had been reported by District Medical Officer Rosh T.V. as suspected cholera infections.
Subsequent tests ruled out cholera in both cases. Muraleedharan, however, had said that two cholera cases were reported from Vythiri in Palakkad. Interestingly, there is no place named Vythiri in the district. “I don’t know how those cases were reported as positive. There may have been a communication breakdown at some point,” Dr. Rosh said.
Doctors close to Dr. Rosh expressed concern that media reports portraying him as contradicting the Health Minister could create friction and potentially invite retaliatory action against him. Dengue death Meanwhile, a 62-year-old woman died of dengue at Karimpuzha near Mannarkkad on Saturday. Maria, a widow of the late Mohammedali, had initially sought treatment for fever at the family health centre at Elambulassery.
As her condition deteriorated on Friday, she was referred to Government Taluk Hospital, Mannarkkad, and later to Government District Hospital, Palakkad. However, her relatives admitted her to a private hospital at Vattambalam, where she was placed on ventilator support. She died early on Saturday.
The BriefWire