India, Sept. 19 -- Cases of the fatal brain-eating amoeba, first detected in Kerala in 2024, continue to rise as yet another person, a 17-year-old boy from Thiruvananthapuram, has been diagnosed with the infection. According to Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme data on September 14, the total number of amoebic meningoencephalitis cases in the state has reached 67, with 18 deaths.

The boy is believed to have contracted the infection after bathing with his friends in a pool. Following the diagnosis, the Kerala health department shut down the swimming pool at Akkulam Tourist Village and sent water samples for testing. (Also read: AIIMS orthopaedic surgeon says '90% of body, back and bone pain' can be detected with these 3 key tests ...