Naegleria fowleri deaths in Sindh rise to five

KARACHI: Death from Naegleria fowleri in Sindh rose to five after a 21-year-old lost his life to the disease in Karachi.

Amid rising temperatures people in the metropolis have been heading out for a swim to get relief from the heat but Naegleria fowleri is quite prevalent due to the low quantity of chlorine in the pool.

According to Director Health Karachi, Dr Abdul Hameed Jumani, the young man, who passed away due to the disease, was a resident of Defence area of Karachi.

As per Dr Jumani the 21-year-old had gone for a swim at a private defense academy and had reported of fever. However, his situation worsened and he was admitted to a hospital on June 18 and eventually lost his life on July 6.

“Because of this, people should be careful while swimming and ablution as well,” Dr Jumani told Geo News.

According to the Sindh health department, so far, five people have died in province due to Naegleria fowleri. Out of the five, four of those cases were reported from Karachi and one from Hyderabad.

Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba, usually found in water ponds, that causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a disease of the central nervous system.