NEW DELHI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), commonly known as brain fever, has claimed two lives in the southern Indian state of Kerala, officials said Monday.
The deaths, according to officials, have taken place on Sunday in Kozhikode district. The victims were identified as a 52-year-old woman and a newborn.
"Last night, a three-month-old newborn who has been undergoing treatment at the hospital for nearly a month succumbed to PAM. It is believed the patient had contracted the disease from the well water regularly used at home," an official said. "A 52-year-old woman who was undergoing treatment for the PAM also succumbed at the hospital on Sunday morning."
With these deaths, the toll from the Amoebic brain fever in the state has risen to three in August.
Earlier in August, a nine-year-old girl died after contracting the infection, believed to have been acquired while bathing in a pond near her house. Her younger brother also tested positive and remains under treatment.
So far, Kerala has reported about 42 cases and six deaths of PAM in 2025, according to reports.
PAM is a rare but highly fatal brain infection caused by free-living amoebae found in contaminated water.
Meanwhile, the local government has launched a campaign to clean and chlorinate public wells and water sources. ■