The state health department has recorded the first Cholera death in the state in 2025. A 63-year-old, Ajaichandran, a resident of Kowdiar who died on April 20, tested positive for Cholera. The death has been officially recorded on the portal of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP).

Officials with the Directorate of Health Services said that Ajaichandran was admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram with fever. "He had a running fever for two days. Later, he developed diarrhoea. Samples were taken, and the results came back positive for Cholera. He also had other health conditions," said a health official who investigated the death. The test was conducted at a private hospital and was reported to the District Medical Office, Thiruvananthapuram.

The health wing of the city corporation also initiated surveillance activities in the area following the Cholera death. "We have been told that the family had a travel history. Steps have been taken to collect water samples from the house and neighbouring areas. We are awaiting results to rule out chances of contamination of water," said a health official with the Thiruvananthapuram city corporation.

S Sathi Kumari, ward councillor of Kowdiar, said that she came to know about the Cholera death from the family members of Ajaichandran. "When I visited the house, his family members told me that he was diagnosed with Cholera. I got in touch with the health wing for further steps," said Sathi Kumari.

The disease investigation wing official said that no other family member has shown any symptoms of Cholera. "However, it needs to be understood from where he may have contracted the disease. He had retired from the Agriculture department and ran a business which required a lot of travel," a health official said.

Corporation health wing, however, said that the family members had a travel history, but Ajaichandran had remained at home. In 2024, the health department recorded a suspected Cholera death in Thiruvananthapuram after a 26-year-old inmate of a private care home died following severe vomiting and diarrhoea. More cases were also reported from the care home among the inmates. This death was recorded as a suspected case on the IDSP portal.

In the last 10 years, Kerala has recorded one Cholera death in 2017.