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yesterday

Kerala Counts Nearly 70 Naegleria Fowleri Cases This Year, With 19 Deaths

Health officials attribute the rise to expanded AES testing that is identifying isolated cases instead of a single-source cluster.

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Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a disease caused usually by infection with Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic amoeba commonly called a brain-eating amoeba.

Overview

  • State data presented in the Assembly put 2025 totals at roughly 69–71 confirmed PAM cases and 19 deaths across multiple districts including Kozhikode, Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram.
  • Health Minister Veena George said routine testing of all Acute Encephalitis Syndrome cases since 2023 is uncovering PAM, with all districts now able to test and PCR capacity being added in Kozhikode.
  • Officials report this year’s infections as sporadic single cases rather than clusters linked to a common water source, a shift that has complicated tracing efforts.
  • The government cites measures such as the Jalamanu Jeevan chlorination drive, 2024 diagnostic and treatment guidelines, and use of drugs including miltefosine in designated hospitals.
  • The Congress‑led UDF sought an adjournment debate alleging data concealment and poor prevention, staged a walkout during the minister’s reply, and saw the motion rejected.