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Five killed by brain-eating amoeba in less than a month

Person diagnosed with brain-eating amoeba after water skiing | What you need to know

Five individuals have died in Kerala, India, due to a rare infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba, primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), within the last month.
The fatalities include a 56-year-old woman, a three-month-old child, and a nine-year-old girl, leading health authorities to implement urgent measures.
Caused by Naegleria fowleri, found in warm freshwater, the infection has a near 97 per cent global fatality rate, with symptoms rapidly progressing to coma and death.
Kerala has seen a significant rise in cases, with 36 infections and nine deaths in 2023, prompting the government to introduce special treatment protocols and restrict access to certain water bodies.
Climate change, causing increased water temperatures and contamination of water sources, are identified as key factors contributing to the surge in amoebic encephalitis cases.