KARACHI: A 19-year-old man died after being infected by Naegleria fowleri, a “brain-eating amoeba,” in Karachi on Monday, health officials said, bringing the total of such deaths in the city to five this year.
The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, is found in freshwater habitats — lakes, ponds, rivers, hot springs — and poorly managed swimming pools and pipes connected to tap water. The microorganism can enter the human body through the nose and cause a sudden infection of the brain called naegleriasis. In most cases, the infection is fatal.
Symptoms of Naegleria fowleri infection include severe headache, changes in taste, high fever, sensitivity to light, nausea, and vomiting. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for survival.
Pakistan has seen a rise in Naegleria fowleri cases in recent years as over a hundred people have died of it since the first reported infection in 2008. Of the earlier fourth deaths in Karachi, three were reported in July this year, according to Meeran Yousuf, who speaks for health minister in the Sindh province where Karachi is located.
“A 19-year-old male, resident of District East Karachi passed away from Naegleria fowleri at a private hospital in Karachi on 2nd September 2024,” Yousuf told Arab News.
The deceased had begun experiencing symptoms on August 18 and was admitted to a private hospital on August 21, according to the official. The presence of Naegleria fowleri was confirmed on August 25.
“Upon investigation it was noted that the patient had not participated in any water-related activities,” Yousuf said. “His only exposure was regular use of water to perform ablution (wudhu) five times a day at home and occasionally at a nearby mosque.”
In one of the previous four cases this year, a 22-year-old garment factory worker died at Jinnah Hospital. His family said he had visited a nearby swimming pool with friends, according to the Sindh health department.
Subsequently, he developed a fever and was admitted to the hospital. His condition deteriorated and was put on ventilator support but could not survive.
Another patient admitted to Aga Khan Hospital died after “ten days of battle with high grade fever,” a hospital report said, adding the family suspected he had contracted the infection while performing ablution at a nearby mosque.
A 2021 Sindh health department study found that 95 percent of water samples in Karachi were unfit for human consumption, which experts attribute to the spread of the amoeba.
Karachi reports fifth death from ‘brain-eating amoeba’ this year
https://arab.news/8mh74
Karachi reports fifth death from ‘brain-eating amoeba’ this year
- Naegleria fowleri is emerging problem in Pakistan, where first case was reported in 2008
- The country has since reported more than a hundred deaths from Naegleria fowleri
Pakistan vaccinates over 43 million children as last polio drive of 2025 enters 6th day
- Campaign running simultaneously in Pakistan and Afghanistan, last two polio-endemic countries
- Health authorities urge parents and communities to fully cooperate with anti-polio vaccinators
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has vaccinated more than 43.8 million children in five days of its last nationwide polio campaign of 2025, health authorities said on Saturday, as the drive entered its sixth day amid renewed efforts to curb the virus.
The campaign, running from Dec. 15 to 21, targets children under the age of five and is being conducted simultaneously in Pakistan and Afghanistan, according to Pakistan’s National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) which oversees eradication efforts.
Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only two countries where wild poliovirus transmission has never been interrupted, keeping global eradication efforts at risk. The virus, which can cause irreversible paralysis, has no cure and can only be prevented through repeated oral vaccination.
“The last nationwide polio campaign of 2025 continues in full swing on the sixth day,” the NEOC said in a statement. “Over 43.8 million children have been vaccinated in five days so far.”
Provincial data released by the National EOC showed that around 22.7 million children had been vaccinated in Punjab province, more than 10.2 million in Sindh, approximately 6.9 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and about 2.5 million in Balochistan. In Islamabad, over 450,000 children received polio drops, while more than 274,000 were vaccinated in Gilgit-Baltistan and over 714,000 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“The polio campaign is being conducted simultaneously in Pakistan and Afghanistan,” the NEOC said. “More than 400,000 polio workers are going door to door across the country to administer vaccines.”
Pakistan has logged 30 polio cases so far in 2025, underscoring the fragility of progress against the virus. The country recorded 74 cases in 2024, a sharp rise from six cases in 2023, reflecting setbacks caused by vaccine hesitancy, misinformation and access challenges in high-risk areas.
Health officials say insecurity remains a major obstacle. Polio workers and their security escorts have repeatedly been targeted in militant attacks, particularly in parts of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan, complicating efforts to reach every child. Natural disasters, including flooding, have further disrupted vaccination campaigns in recent years.
“Parents and communities are urged to fully cooperate with polio workers,” the NEOC said, stressing that every child under the age of five must be given polio drops.
Pakistan has dramatically reduced polio prevalence since the 1990s, when annual cases exceeded 20,000. Health authorities, however, warn that without sustained access to children in underserved and conflict-affected areas, eradication will remain out of reach.
