The latest case involves Anish (26) who has been diagnosed with amoebic meningoencephalitis, after allegedly bathing in a pond with three other friends.
Published Aug 05, 2024 | 3:22 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 05, 2024 | 5:43 PM
Flagellate form of the parasite Naegleria fowleri. (iStock)
The Kerala government said on Monday, 5 August, that four cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis — a rare and deadly brain infection — were reported in Thiruvananthapuram.
The confirmed cases involve Kannaravila native Akhil (26), who succumbed to the infection on 23 July.
It is suspected that he got infected after allegedly bathing in a pond with four other friends out of which three were confirmed to have the infection on Monday.
Akhil, along with friends Anish (26), Achu (25), Harish (27) and Dhanush (26) had entered the same pond, unaware of the dangers lurking beneath the surface.
Now, all four are undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram with three of them confirmed with amoebic meningoencephalitis. The fourth person is also having symptoms whose test result is being awaited.
Taking note of the seriousness of the situation, Health Minister Veena George convened a meeting of the State Rapid Response Team (RRT).
The Minister warned against bathing in stagnant water bodies, especially those with algae growth, and advised people to avoid getting water into their nostrils while bathing.
She also directed the health department to take necessary measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
Relatives of Akhil reported that he suffered from severe headaches and fever before succumbing to the illness.
The health department has swung into action, collecting water samples for testing to determine the source of the infection.
As the investigation is ongoing, authorities urged people to exercise extreme caution when bathing in public water bodies.
The youngsters who were residents of Athiyanoor Grama Panchayat are said to have used the Kavinkulam pond near Kannaravila. This pond is said to have the presence of algae.
At the same time, panchayat president VP Sunil Kumar told South First that he received a negative report from the State Public Health Lab upon testing the samples taken from the pond.
It seems that they might have caught the disease from somewhere else,” he said. However, the health department said that more investigations will be carried out.
Meanwhile, Maruthamcode ward member S Vishnu of the Athiyanoor Grama Panchayat told South First that they did not get any confirmation regarding the infection.
“We didn’t receive any report that says that Akhil as well as Anish were diagnosed with amoebic meningoencephalitis. Those who are currently under treatment are considered suspected cases. However, we have ensured precautionary measures. The pond in question has been closed. We are also conducting a survey to find if anyone (else) has symptoms of this disease and who all have used this pond,” he said.
The RRT decided to take steps to prevent the spread of the disease and will assess the situation.
The team advised people to take precautions while bathing in stagnant water bodies and to avoid getting water into their nostrils.
Kerala health department issued guidelines to prevent the spread of the disease, including:
The department also directed hospitals to ensure the availability of medicines and to take necessary measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
The meeting was attended by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department, National Health Mission (NHM) State Mission Director, Director of Medical Education, Additional Directors of Health, Kerala Medical Services Corporation (KMSCL) General Manager, and RRT members.
Seven cases of the infection were detected in the state since May this year.
Two boys, aged 14 and 12, had recovered from the infection that has a 97 percent mortality rate, two others are under treatment at a hospital in Kozhikode while three children have died in the last two months.
Meanwhile, the Kerala government on 29 July received the first batch of medicine Miltefosine, donated by a UAE-based entrepreneur Shamsheer Vayalil, to treat amoebic meningoencephalitis.
The extremely lethal central nervous system infection, amoebic meningoencephalitis is caused by free-living amoebae. This deadly infection is typically contracted from freshwater sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams.
On 5 July, a special meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan led to instructions for molecular testing facilities to confirm the disease in its early stages.
On 28 May, the health minister called a meeting to prepare treatment guidelines under expert leadership, resulting in the release of a treatment protocol for amoebic meningoencephalitis on 20 July. This was the first comprehensive treatment protocol for the disease in the country, the state health department claimed.
The disease was earlier reported in coastal Alappuzha district in the state in 2023 and 2017.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
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