Kerala Confirms 67 Cases Of Brain-Eating Amoeba; Total 18 Deaths
A new case of amoebic meningoencephalitis has emerged in Kerala, with a 17-year-old boy in Thiruvananthapuram contracting the infection. Amoebic meningoencephalitis is a rare fatal brain infection reported in Kerala.
Following the diagnosis, the health department has ordered to closure of the swimming pool at Akkulam Tourist Village and collected water samples for testing, following the boy’s visit to the pool with friends the previous day.
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As per the updated data released under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme on the department’s website on September 14, Kerala has recorded a total of 67 cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis this year, with 18 reported deaths.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George emphasised the urgent need for strict preventive measures to combat amoebic meningeoencephalitis, advising the public to be vigilant about water safety and sanitation.
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Amoebic meningoencephalitis cases reported from Kerala are usually caused by Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba sometimes called the “brain-eating amoeba.” The illness is rare but almost always fatal. Its occurrence in Kerala is linked to a combination of environmental, climatic, and behavioral factor.
After heavy rains, many natural water bodies and ponds become stagnant. Stagnant water warms up faster and allows the amoeba to multiply. Kerala’s tropical climate with high humidity and warm water temperatures—especially in the pre-monsoon and summer months—creates ideal conditions for the amoeba to grow.
