Naegleria Eats 4 Lives in Karachi, Chlorine Use Suggested
Karachi Water and Sewerage Board said in a report that 70% of its pumping stations are supplying water containing either low or no chlorine
Karachi has long been a breeding ground for Naegleria, an amoeba found in warm freshwater, and the city is witnessing an increase in the cases as the death toll reaches 4.
The brain-eating amoeba has claimed the 4th life in Karachi in a span of nearly a month and the authorities have urged the citizens to keep their water tanks clean to clamp down Naegleria.
Dr Majid Ismail, who was bought to PNS Shifa Hospital in critical condition, died of Naegleria earlier this week.
The deceased was habitual of using tanker water which has almost zero levels of chlorine.
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As per a report shared by Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), 70% of its pumping stations are supplying water containing either low or no chlorine.
Additionally, Fayyaz Ghauri, a resident of Abul Hassan Isfahani Road, also died of the brain-eating amoeba.
Not only this, a child named Zohaib Fahad who was a resident of Shadman Town died at a private hospital last week. The Sindh health department later confirmed that the eight-year-old died of Naegleria.
In this regard, Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Secretary-General Dr Muhammad Qaiser told the amoeba grows sufficiently in warm freshwater. He added that locals of Karachi use water having no or low level of chlorine.
According to him, Naegleria grows rapidly in low chlorine levels and he advised Karachiites to clean their water tanks twice a year.
Dr Qaiser also urged the citizens to chlorinate their tanks to curb the spread of disease.
