Kerala records fourth case of rare brain-eating amoeba infection: Report

Kerala has reported another case of amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare brain infection caused by a free-living amoeba found in contaminated waters, taking the total number of such cases to four.

According to a report with news agency PTI, the patient is a 14-year-old boy, a resident of Payyoli in Kozhikode district of north Kerala, and is being treated at a private hospital.

The state has reported four such cases since May, and all patients were reported to be minors, three of whom have already died.

In the latest case, one of the doctors treating the boy said that he was admitted to the hospital on July 1, and his condition is improving, PTI reported.

The doctor also said that on Saturday, the infection was identified quickly at the hospital and treatment, including medicines from abroad, was given immediately.

On July 3, a 14-year-old boy infected with the free-living amoeba died in the state.

Before that, two others — a five-year-old girl from Malappuram and a 13-year-old girl from Kannur — died on May 21 and June 25, respectively, due to the rare brain infection.

On Friday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a meeting in which several suggestions, including not to bathe in unclean waterbodies, were given to prevent further infections.

In the meeting, it was also suggested that there should be proper chlorination of swimming pools and children should be careful when entering waterbodies as they are mostly affected by this disease, the statement read.

The Chief Minister also said that everyone should take care to keep the waterbodies clean.