Overview

• Health minister Veena George reported the latest tally on Tuesday and linked the rise to intensified surveillance since 2023.
• Kerala issued technical guidelines in 2024 and equipped district labs to run PCR and perform direct CSF microscopy for rapid confirmation.
• Naegleria fowleri is the primary pathogen identified, though Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia have also been detected in some cases.
• Authorities are conducting mass chlorination and public awareness drives, urging people to avoid forcing untreated freshwater into the nose.
• Officials report no single common exposure source this year, and experts emphasize that early diagnosis with prompt treatment improves survival.