Kerala govt urges vigilance against amoebic meningoencephalitis

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 15 (PTI) The Kerala government on Tuesday urged people to show extra vigilance against the spread of amoebic meningoencephalitis in view of summer season.

A rare brain infection caused by free-living amoeba in contaminated waters, amoebic meningoencephalitis has claimed many lives in the state in recent times.

Due to the dip in water levels in water bodies during the summer season, there is a possibility of increased contact with amoeba in the mud, Health Minister Veena George said in a statement.

Therefore, those who bathe in ponds and other water bodies should be careful, she cautioned.

Water tanks should be cleaned to remove accumulated sludge, George said, and he called for water in swimming pools and amusement parks to be chlorinated and purified.

Those who have come into contact with such water in any way and experience symptoms like severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty in turning their head should seek treatment immediately, she said.

The infection is still being reported in the state, the minister pointed out.

There were 38 cases and 8 deaths in 2024 and 12 cases and 5 deaths in 2025 in Kerala, she said, adding that early detection and proper treatment have helped save most of the affected individuals in the state.

Only 11 people in the world have recovered from the disease, but 37 affected people have been saved in Kerala, the minister noted.

The Health Department has instructed that all patients suspected of having encephalitis undergo testing to determine whether they have amoebic encephalitis, the minister added in the statement. PTI LGK SSK ROH