Tests revealed traces of the amoeba in the hose faucet of the boy’s house.
Houston, United States:
The governor of Texas issued a declaration of disaster after the death of a six-year-old boy infected with a brain-eating amoeba that was later found in his community’s water supply.
The child died on September 8 from infection with the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic organism that reproduces in the warm, fresh water of poorly maintained lakes and rivers and swimming pools, according to US media .
Amoeba enters the body through the nasal membranes and enters the brain, causing a powerful migraine, hyperthermia, stiff neck and vomiting, followed by dizziness, extreme fatigue, confusion, and hallucinations.
Tests revealed traces of the amoeba in the boy’s home garden hose faucet, a spokesperson for the city of Lake Jackson said, as quoted by local media.
Traces were also found in a downtown fountain and a fire hydrant in a city just an hour from the large city of Houston, said Modesto Mundo, a city official.
The grandparents of the deceased child Josiah McIntyre told the Houston Chronicle that he could have been exposed to contaminated water while playing at a downtown water park, shortly before get sick.
The water park has since been closed, and several towns in Brazoria County, where Jackson Lake is located, have advised residents to avoid using tap water for drinking, swimming or cooking.
That advisory has since been lifted, but authorities are urging residents to boil water before using it.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for Brazoria County, which includes Lake Jackson, on Sunday.
The declaration allows the authorities to use additional public resources in an emergency.
Between 1983 and 2010, Texas health authorities attributed 28 deaths to the amoeba Naegleria fowleri.
(This story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
