According to authorities, an individual in Florida has contracted a “brain-eating” amoeba.
The Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County, located in the southwest of the state, claimed on Thursday that the individual most likely developed the illness while rinsing their sinuses with tap water.
The amoeba, or single-celled organism, Naegleria fowleri, is uncommon and can only infect people through the nose, according to the report, thus the tap water in the region continues to remain safe to drink.
According to DOH-Charlotte, it is looking into how the illness happened and collaborating with the nearby public utilities to implement any necessary adjustments.
It advised locals to search for immediate medical attention if they feel symptoms of a brain-eating amoeba, like headaches, fever, stomach pain, vomiting, neck stiffness, seizures, loss of balance, or mental confusion. It also advised them to only use purified or clean water when making sinus rinse solutions.
When swimming, bathing, taking a shower, or cleaning your face, DOH-Charlotte advised against allowing water to penetrate the nose.
