Kerala has reported 104 cases of amoebic encephalitis, a rare and often fatal brain infection caused by the "brain-eating amoeba" Naegleria fowleri. The infection has claimed 23 lives so far, with Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts being the worst affected. Cases are also on the rise in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. State Health Minister Veena George said all encephalitis cases must be mandatorily reported since the Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode in 2023.