KOLLAM: A ten-year-old boy from Kollam has been diagnosed with amoebic encephalitis and is currently undergoing treatment at SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. In addition to this case, two more people from Thiruvananthapuram were confirmed to have the disease earlier. A 31-year-old woman from Tirumala and a 27-year-old woman from Mulluvila have tested positive for amoebic encephalitis, though notably, neither of them had any recent exposure to pools or streams, raising concerns about alternative sources of infection.

The continuous reporting of amoebic encephalitis cases across Kerala has prompted significant alarm, particularly in the capital. Following several confirmed cases in Thiruvananthapuram, Health Minister Veena George had announced that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) would conduct a study to investigate the situation in Kerala. However, despite the severity of the disease, which has a mortality rate of 97%, no substantial action has been taken thus far. The only development has been an initial meeting between ICMR representatives and local officials, sparking allegations of negligence on the part of the state government.