☠️ Brain-Eating Amoeba Scare in Kerala! 19 Lives Lost
- MediaFx
- Sep 18
- 2 min read
TL;DR: A deadly infection caused by a rare "brain-eating amoeba" has claimed 19 lives in Kerala. The disease, called Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), spreads when contaminated water enters the nose. Doctors warn it’s almost always fatal if not detected early. Experts suggest avoiding swimming in unclean water, using boiled/clean water for nasal cleansing, and staying alert to early symptoms like fever, headache and vomiting.
Kerala is shaken after reports of 19 deaths due to a rare brain infection caused by a "brain-eating amoeba." The disease is called Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), and doctors say it’s one of the deadliest infections known to humans.
This #BrainEatingAmoeba enters the body through the nose when people swim, bathe, or wash their face with contaminated freshwater like ponds, rivers, or unchlorinated swimming pools. Once inside, it travels straight to the brain and destroys tissues.
Symptoms That Look Small But Kill Big
Doctors are warning that early symptoms look like normal viral fever — headache, fever, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures. But within days, the infection worsens and becomes fatal in 97–99% of cases. Out of all reported cases worldwide, only a handful of people survived.
Why Kerala Is At Risk
Kerala’s warm climate and many natural water bodies make it a hotspot for this amoeba. With many people using rivers and ponds daily, exposure is high. Health officials are urging the public to avoid swimming in stagnant water and to use boiled or chlorinated water for nasal cleaning.
How To Stay Safe
Doctors and health experts have given some urgent safety tips:
Don’t swim in dirty or unchlorinated pools
Avoid diving or playing in ponds and lakes
Use only boiled/filtered water for washing nose (especially for religious practices like jalneti)
Watch out for early symptoms and rush to hospital immediately
People’s Angle
See, this is not just about a rare disease. It’s about basic public health facilities. Why are poor families still forced to use unsafe ponds and rivers for bathing and drinking? Why are proper water supply and sanitation still a luxury in many villages?
From a people’s perspective, the rich can avoid swimming or buy bottled water, but working-class families have no option. They face the brunt of such deadly infections. Instead of spending crores on fancy projects, governments must invest in safe water systems, rural health awareness, and free testing labs.
Because at the end of the day, health is not a privilege, it’s a right for all citizens.
