Enteric fever

Typhoid and paratyphoid fever, counted together. Spread by food and water carrying the bacteria. A report that counts typhoid alone is listed as Typhoid.

Is enteric fever worse than usual anywhere?

Too little to compare in any country this week.

What is enteric fever?

Typhoid (and the similar paratyphoid) fever: a serious infection caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria, which live only in people.

Signs
A long-lasting high fever, tiredness, headache, feeling sick, stomach pain, and either constipation or diarrhoea. Some people get a rash.
How it spreads
By eating food or drinking water dirtied by the poo of an infected person. People can keep carrying the germ after they feel better.
How to protect yourself
Drink safe or boiled water, eat well-cooked food, and wash hands often. A typhoid vaccine can be given as a single dose from six months of age.
Get medical help
See a doctor for a fever lasting several days, especially with stomach pain. Typhoid can be deadly without treatment. Take every antibiotic dose prescribed.

In Dooram's words, from the World Health Organization. Source: WHO fact sheet: Typhoid, read 8 October 2026. General information, not medical advice.

When does enteric fever usually peak?

  • Sri LankaIt has no fixed season: in the last 12 years its peaks fell in 8 different months.

What "usual" means.

Sources. Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, weekly report.