Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Tuesday said that since January this year, 146 cases of Shigella were reported in the state and of those 70 were in June.

Speaking to reporters here after chairing a review meeting, Muraleedharan said that of the five Shigella deaths, one was in March and the remaining four were in June.

The highest number of cases -- 74 -- of the bacterial infection from January to June were reported from Kozhikode, followed by Malappuram -- 25, including two deaths -- and then Thiruvananthapuram -- also 25 cases of infection, according to the figures given by the minister.

No Shigella cases were reported from Pathanamthitta, Palakkad and Kasaragod districts of the state till now this year, he said.

Shigella is a bacterial infection that causes diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps. It spreads mainly through contaminated food or water and through contact with infected persons.