According to federal health officials, a person in Florida has died after contracting an incredibly rare “brain-eating” infection, likely from tap water.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the individual was infected with Naegleria fowleri after using tap water to rinse their nose.
The patient died on February 20, and the CDC stated that this was the first case of the deadly infection this year and the first ever reported during the winter months in the US.
Although the CDC did not reveal where the person lived in Florida, state health officials disclosed that a case of Naegleria fowleri had occurred in Charlotte County, located in the southwestern part of the state.
Local officials did not confirm whether the deceased person was the same case that they alerted the public to.
The Florida Department of Health stated that they continue to investigate how this infection occurred and are working with local public utilities to identify potential links and take necessary corrective actions.
Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled living organism that can exist in fresh water and is commonly known as the “brain-eating amoeba.”
The CDC explains that water containing the amoeba can enter the nose and cause a brain infection, which usually becomes fatal. The federal health agency reported that only about three people become infected with Naegleria fowleri yearly.
Between 1962 and 2022, there were 157 confirmed cases of Naegleria fowleri in the US, and 37 were linked to Florida. The CDC has confirmed that there has never been a case of this infection in New York. The Florida health department has advised people not to let the water go up their noses while showering or washing their faces and to only use distilled or sterile water if using a sinus rinse solution. They have also emphasized that people cannot contract the infection by drinking tap water.
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