Amoebic meningoencephalitis claimed one more life in the State, that of a young woman in the capital district. The 26-year-old woman, a native of Irinchayam, Nedumangadu, who had been under prolonged treatment at Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, died on Wednesday evening. She had developed fever and headache in the first week of October and had been initially under treatment at the Nedumangadu taluk hospital. She was later shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) after she developed seizures. Her CSF sample had been positive for amoeba under wet microscopy and PCR test later confirmed the organism to be Acanthamoeba.
Panchayat water supply
Health officials said the household of the deceased was dependent on the panchayat’s water supply from Arivukkara. A clear history of exposure to any waterbodies was not found, though it was recalled that she had washed her face in a nearby stream recently.
This year, 170 cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis and 41 deaths have been reported across the State so far. Thiruvananthapuram has reported 56 cases and 10 deaths At present, 12 people are undergoing treatment for amoebic meningoencephalitis in the district.
Published – November 20, 2025 09:19 pm IST
