Amoebic meningoencephalitis: Health dept invokes State Public Health Act

The Health Department called the 2023 Kerala Public Health Law to initiate preventive and control measures against Amoeia Mennoencephalitis, which is currently a new public health concern for the state.

Amoebaic meningoencephalitis is now a public health concern, because all water bodies – wells, pools, channels, swimming pools or holiday villages and pools in the water theme parks – can be a potential amobic infection for people who use them, unless they are cleaned regularly and in good condition.

The government, which recognizes this new threat for public health, announced a mass -state campaign to immediately cleanse and chlorify all wells, swimming pools and large water storage tanks of the local organs, Health and Water Resources Department and Map Kerala on Monday, August 25, 2025.

The ponds and other water bodies that people normally use for the bath should be cleaned from all algae and garbage, and all channels carrying waste or pollutants to these objects should be closed.

Wednesday (27 August 2025), Health Services Director, State Public Health Officer KJ Reena, so Kerala Public Health Law, various provisions of the Public Health Law, public swimming pools, hotels, water theme parks and clean and water chlorine levels in the responsible parties to ensure that there is no looseness.

Dr. Reena has given orders that the management of all holiday villages, hotels, water theme parks and swimming training centers under the 7 (5), 10 (B) and 10 (C) sections of the Kerala PH Law 2023. They should check the chlorine levels that need to be noted in a special record.

These records will be kept safe and produced when requested by the authorities assigned by the Panchayat Secretary or Regional Public Health Officer.

The violation of these instructions will invite serious legal measures in accordance with the Kerala Public Health Law.

So far, this year, 41 amoeba menenoencephalitis has been reported in the province and there are 18 active cases in hospitals treated. The state takes almost every amoeba encephalitis that the health department of the health department is tested for amobic brain infection of brain spinal cord fluid samples of all patients suspected of meningitis to all clinicians last year.

Until now, people who use local ponds and channels for bath or swimming have been believed to be sensitive to Amoeia.

Although the free -living Amoeba, such as Accanthamoeba and Balamuthia, was always known that it is widely available in the vicinity, it was the final product of amoeba infections in people who pointed to the fact that water bodies in the house could pose a threat of public health and requiring a great cleaning campaign.

The DHS has allowed the immediate elimination of wastewater channels reaching water bodies in the state. Solid waste disposal should be prevented in water bodies.

All official agencies that participate in water supply and distribution such as Kerala Water Authority and Jalanidhi should now ensure that chlorine levels in water distribution systems are now 0.5 mg/liter.

All Regional Public Health Officers and Authorized Authorities have been directed to ensure that cleaning and chlorination activities are carried out regularly and to take legal measures against those who cannot observe the directives given to public health interest within the scope of KPHA.