Kerala is grappling with a worrying surge in cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis, commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba infection, as the state confirmed its fifth death in just one month. The latest victim, 56-year-old Shobhana from Wandoor, Malappuram, succumbed while undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Earlier fatalities included a 45-year-old man from Wayanad, a three-month-old infant, a nine-year-old girl, and a 52-year-old woman, highlighting the severity of the outbreak. Currently, 11 patients remain under treatment at the same hospital.
In response, the Health Department has rolled out special treatment guidelines, water testing drives, and public awareness campaigns to curb the spread, particularly warning against unsafe exposure to untreated freshwater sources. The infection, caused by the rare amoeba Naegleria fowleri, enters the body through the nose and quickly attacks the brain, leading to almost certain fatality if untreated. However, Kerala’s early interventions with drugs like Miltefosine and improved hospital protocols have shown promise in saving lives.
