Kerala recorded its fifth death due to amoebic meningoencephalitis in a month after a Malappuram native, who was undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kozhikode, died on Monday, September 8, 2025.
Patient from Malappuram Succumbs
As reported by The Hindu, the victim, Sobhana, 56, from Thiruvali near Wandoor in Malappuram district, had been admitted to Kozhikode MCH last week. Hospital authorities confirmed that she had remained in a critical condition until her death.
Rising Fatalities Across the State
Since August 14, the State has reported four earlier deaths from the infection, making Sobhana’s case the fifth fatality. On September 6, Ratheesh, 45, from Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad district, also succumbed to the disease while receiving treatment at Kozhikode MCH.
Multiple Patients Under Treatment
Hospital sources revealed that 11 patients are currently undergoing treatment for amoebic meningoencephalitis at Kozhikode MCH. The condition of at least one patient has been described as serious.
Rare Infection Becomes a Public Health Concern
Amoebic meningoencephalitis, though rare, is a fatal brain infection caused by free-living amoebae commonly found in freshwater bodies such as lakes and rivers. With multiple fatalities reported in a short span, the infection has now emerged as a major public health concern in Kerala.