Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills 14-Yr-Old Boy in Kerala, 3rd Case Since May

Thiruvananthapuram: A 14-year-old boy died of amoebic meningoencephalitis in a private hospital in Kozhikode in Kerala. He suffered a rare brain infection caused by a free-living amoeba found in contaminated waters.

According to the Kerala Health Department, the deceased identified as Mridul died at 11.20 pm on Wednesday. This is the third case of fatal brain infection reported in Kerala since May.

A five-year-old girl from Malappuram died due to it on May 21 and a 13-year-old girl from Kannur died of this amoebic brain infection on June 25.

According to reports, the ill-fated boy had taken bath at a small pond after which he got infected by the killer amoeba. According to medical experts, this infection occurs when the fatal amoebae bacteria enter the body through the nose from contaminated water.

The health authorities have cautioned Kerala citizens to against amoebic meningoencephalitis. This killer disease was earlier reported in the coastal Alappuzha district in Kerala in 2023 and 2017.