India, Sept. 17 -- Kerala health authorities are on high alert after a surge in cases of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but deadly brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the "brain-eating amoeba", that claimed 19 lives this year, media reports said on Wednesday.

Kerala has reported 61 confirmed cases this year, many of them in recent weeks.

The state Health Department has described the situation as a "serious public health challenge."

"Unlike last year, we are not seeing clusters linked to a single water source. These are single, isolated cases, and this has complicated our epidemiological investigations," Ms George said.

What is PAM?

According to the Kerala government's advisory, PAM affect...