A 36-year-old woman from Gulshan-e-Iqbal has become Karachi’s first victim of Naegleria fowleri this year. She developed symptoms on February 18, was hospitalized the next day, and passed away on February 23. A lab report on February 24 confirmed the deadly brain-eating amoeba.
Health officials revealed that the victim had no known water-related activities, but experts believe she contracted the infection during ablution (wudu). Naegleria thrives in warm, untreated water and enters the brain through the nasal passages, causing rapid and severe damage.
Early symptoms include headaches, fever, nausea, and neck stiffness, which quickly progress to confusion, unconsciousness, and death. The infection has a high fatality rate, with most cases proving fatal within days. Health experts urge citizens to add chlorine to water sources to eliminate harmful pathogens. They also advise avoiding nasal exposure to untreated water, especially during wudu and swimming.