An increase in cases of a rare but fatal form of encephalitis has put authorities in India's southern state of Kerala on alert. Health authorities have increased testing to address what they say is a serious public health challenge.
Kerala has reported about 69 cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) since the beginning of this year including 19 deaths following contact with Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the “brain-eating” amoeba, the state Health Minister Veena George said on Wednesday.
Three of the deaths occurred in the last month, including that of a three-month old infant.
“Unlike last year, we are not seeing clusters linked to a single water source. These are single, isolated cases, which has complicated our epidemiological investigations,” Ms George told Indian media outlet NDTV.
Last year, the state reported 36 cases of PAM and nine deaths.
Amoebic encephalitis is a rare but lethal central nervous system infection caused by free-living amoebae found in freshwater, lakes and rivers, according to a Kerala government document.
Of the two types of amoebic encephalitis, primary amoebic encephalitis has been found in Kerala, and is caused by Naegleria fowleri.
The government has begun chlorinating wells, water tanks and public bathing areas, and areas where people are likely to bathe and come in contact with the amoeba.
Globally, the survival rate of PAM is about 3 per cent but because of advanced testing and diagnosis, Kerala has achieved 24 per cent, Ms George told local media.
“Climate change raising the water temperature and the heat driving more people to recreational water use is likely to increase the encounters with this pathogen,” the government said in the document, which was published last year.
UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
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