Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday raised concern over the increasing number of amoebic meningoencephalitis cases in Kerala, urging the public to avoid swimming in untreated freshwater sources.
Tharoor described the outbreak as alarming, saying, "It is a very sad story. A lot of people have caught this fatal virus by swimming in the freshwater." He was speaking with news agency ANI when he said, "It seems very dangerous. Some doctors are advising people not to swim in fresh water until some other solution can be found."
The alert was issued as Kerala's health authorities remain on high alert following 19 deaths from the Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but deadly brain infection triggered by the Naegleria fowleri organism, often referred to as the "brain-eating amoeba."
Tharoor said, "I can just endorse that request to everybody: Don't take risk, don't go in freshwater," he said. "I think there is some amoeba there. I think seawater, soft water is fine. Your water at home is fine, and chlorinated swimming pool water is fine, but unfortunately, not swimming in freshwater," he added.
Health authorities, including the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), continue to monitor the situation closely amid concerns over the rare but often fatal infection.
Kerala health minister Veena George on Tuesday clarified that there are no clusters of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) cases in 2025. She noted that clusters had been identified in 2024, which were linked to a shared water source.
Updating the official figures, George said, "We did have 69 cases, and out of 69 cases, 19 deaths were reported. Specifically, after the 2023 Nipah outbreak, we issued strict instructions to investigate every meningoencephalitis case," reported ANI.
She stressed the importance of surveillance and timely medical intervention. "We have also asked the practitioners to check the cause of that meningoencephalitis. If they find amoeba, they will start the treatment for amoebic meningoencephalitis, which saves lives. Early detection leads to saving lives," the minister said.