Kerala reports 104 Amoebic meningoencephalitis cases, 23 deaths: Health Minister
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala health minister Veena George on Sunday confirmed that 104 cases of amoebic encephalitis (brain fever) have been reported in the state so far, and 23 patients have died.
The state is currently battling this rare and often fatal brain infection caused by the "brain-eating amoeba" Naegleria fowleri.
Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts have been most affected according to estimates, while cases are also increasing in Kozhikode and Malappuram, according to officials.
In 2024 itself, the Health Department issued both general and technical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
The state health minister detailed that globally, the fatality rate for Naegleria fowleri infection is 98 per cent, and for Acanthamoeba-related cases, it is above 70 per cent. "Despite such high global mortality rates, Kerala has managed to significantly reduce the death rate by detecting and treating the disease at an early stage," she said.
In 2025, an action plan based on the One Health approach was prepared and implemented to prevent amoebic encephalitis.
"Based on the decisions taken at a joint meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, various departments are working together to ensure scientific chlorination and other preventive measures are carried out continuously across the state," the minister said.
Also Read:Brain-eating amoeba claims 2 more lives, including infant in Kerala
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