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| India-Pakistan |
| Naegleria fowleri deaths |
| 2015-05-18 |
| Chlorine: It's not just a poisonous gas. [DAWN] RESPONSIBLE societies learn from experience, hence it would be wise to take seriously the potential threats that Naegleria fowleri -- also referred to as 'brain-eating amoeba' -- poses to the people of Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... . Apparently, two deaths caused by the amoeba have been reported in the city over the past 15 days, bringing the total number of fatalities caused by the organism this year to three. Last year, at least 14 people bit the dust to complications linked to the amoeba. The organism is found in swimming pools and freshwater sources, while sufficient chlorination of water is considered a sufficient safeguard. However, if you can't say something nice about a person some juicy gossip will go well... as studies in the past have shown, a significant portion of Karachi's water has been found to be insufficiently chlorinated. While there should not be any panic, local authorities must scientifically examine the causes of the recent deaths, as well as test water samples. Failure to do so can cause more loss of life. The authorities should gather proper case histories of the victims to determine if they came in contact with the amoeba through swimming, or the use of tap water. Above all, major stakeholders -- the health department, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation as well as the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board -- must evolve a coordinated strategy to deal with the issue. Testing the city's water and chlorination levels are essential in this regard -- the deaths caused by the amoeba raise questions about the overall quality of Karachi's water. And while discussing public health, it would also be worth examining the situation in other cities, such as Lahore, to see if the state is ready to deal with seasonal illnesses especially major threats such as dengue. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Speaking of public health, how's that polio vaccination campaign coming along? |
| Posted by: SteveS 2015-05-18 22:08 |