Kerala reports another death due to amoebic meningoencephalitis; 41 deaths in 2026
A 48-year-old man from Koyilandy in Kozhikode district of Kerala died of amoebic meningoencephalitis on Monday morning, state health authorities confirmed.
The deceased, identified as Biju, an autorickshaw driver from Naderi, had been undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. He first sought treatment for fever earlier this month, and the infection was confirmed on July 22. Following the diagnosis, health workers initiated containment measures in his native place. Officials are yet to determine how he contracted the infection.
According to the Kerala Health Department, there have been 14 cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis across the state in July, with four deaths. Since January 2026, the state has recorded 155 confirmed cases and 41 deaths from the disease.
Health experts note that two types of this infection are widely reported in Kerala: primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE). PAM is caused by Naegleria fowleri, while organisms such as Balamuthia mandrillaris and Acanthamoeba are responsible for GAE.
Naegleria fowleri, often called the “brain-eating amoeba,” typically enters the body through the nose when people swim or dive in contaminated freshwater. It then travels up the olfactory nerve to reach the brain. Acanthamoeba usually enters through small skin breaks, wounds, or inhalation of contaminated water aerosols, disseminating via the bloodstream to the brain.
Health officials urge people to avoid swimming in stagnant or untreated water and to seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms such as severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, or neck stiffness after potential exposure.
