Kerala Amoeba Case | 'Brain-Eating Amoeba' Kills 19 In Kerala. How It Spreads, How To Stay Safe

Kerala health authorities are on alert after a spike in cases of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a brain infection with a high fatality rate. This infection is caused by Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the 'brain-eating amoeba'. This year, Kerala has recorded 61 confirmed cases of PAM and 19 deaths, with many of these deaths being reported in the past few weeks. State Health Minister Veena George has said Kerala is grappling with a serious public health challenge. The infections, previously linked to clusters in districts like Kozhikode and Malappuram, are now appearing sporadically across the state. Patients range from a three-month-old infant to a 91-year-old. "Unlike last year, we are not seeing clusters linked to a single water source. These are single, isolated cases, and this has complicated our epidemiological investigations," she said.