A 17-year-old student, Syed Ali Raza Shah, died of Naegleria fowleri, marking the fourth death due to the brain-eating amoeba, in Sindh, this year. The teenager, a resident of North Karachi, tested positive for the infection on June 27 and, according to the Sindh Health Department, was admitted to a hospital on June 25 experiencing body pain, vomiting, and fever.
Before falling ill, the deceased had not participated in any water-related activities that are common causes of contracting the amoeba, such as swimming, bathing, or ablution. However, the health department’s preliminary report suggests that the deceased’s family used Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtered water, but the overhead tank had not been cleaned in six months.
The initial report of the case was sent to higher authorities, and the health department has planned to conduct awareness sessions, on June 29 and 30, regarding precautionary measures and cleanliness in the affected area.