A 25-year-old woman from Lakshadweep has tested positive for Amoebic meningoencephalitis in Kochi, making it the first case in the district. She is presently admitted to a private hospital in Kochi. The health officials said that her condition is stable. 

The woman, who stays at a hostel in Kochi, was admitted to the hospital with a fever and headache. Her first two tests were negative for amoebic encephalitis. The third test came back positive following wet-mount microscopic examination.

"She is totally stable and is recovering well. We understand that she had been to a resort; however, the timeline needs to be verified to ascertain the incubation period," an official said.

The state has so far recorded 153 cases and 33 deaths this year. The latest fatality was recorded in Kollam when a 65-year-old woman from Palathara died of Amoebic Meningoencephalitis. 

A study led by the Indian Council of Medical Research is currently underway in Kerala. The study focuses on four districts and surveys are being carried out in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. In October, 65 cases were confirmed in Kerala.

The health department recently modified the guidelines, saying that immunocompromised elderly people shall not wash their wounds on their feet in contaminated water. The source of infection in recently reported cases, especially in bedridden people, has not been identified by the health department. 

An investigation into a few cases showed that some people had washed their wounds with pond water. A study published on pathogenic and opportunistic free-living amoebae found that several Acanthamoeba species have been isolated from the brains, lungs, skin, and corneas of infected individuals.