Florida Residents Hit By Water Warning After Man Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba

While the pandemic and other looming catastrophes raged, they apparently weren't enough for Florida. Residents have been warned to take precautions with their tap water if they live in a certain area. According to reports, the Florida health authorities were sparked to act after a man was killed after swallowing rare brain-eating amoeba that caused infection after rinsing out his nose with tap water.

According to Inside Edition, the South Florida man contracted Naegleria fowleri back in March after using tap water to flush his nasal passages. As the outlet notes, health authorities said only distilled or sterile water should be used when cleaning the nose out when they're clogged.

A man in Florida died from a brain-eating amoeba that he may have contracted after rinsing his sinuses with tap water, health officials say. https://t.co/o8c5Y9t3PU

— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 3, 2023

"DOH-Charlotte, as part of a multi-agency response, is continuing to investigate how this infection occurred and is working with the local public utilities to identify any potential links and make any necessary corrective actions," Florida health authorities said in a statement.

The infection cannot be caught by drinking tap water, but health officials released a long list of warnings for people to avoid. If you're using tap water, they stressed to never sniff the water or suck it into your nose when you're bathing, showering, washing your face or swimming in your small plastic and blow-up pools.

You also shouldn't jump into bath water or put your head under the water. And this goes doubly if you have kids, who shouldn't go unsupervised. They also should be careful with hoses, sprinklers, slip-n-slides, and any other activities that would send water up your nose.

If you're using those small plastic kiddie pools or inflatable pools, be sure they are clean and empty of standing water to dry. And for those with larger pools, never skip keeping your pool water disinfected and clean.

The infection is rare and these guidelines should remain temporary, though more incidents have happened in neighboring states. A 17-year-old in Georgia died earlier in the summer after swimming in a lake and acquiring the infection, while a 16-year-old in Florida recently survived an infection. Sebastian DeLeon is only the fourth person to survive after being diagnosed with the parasite.

"He's done tremendously well. He's walking, he's speaking, he went outside for the first time to get some fresh air – he's ready to go home," Dr. Humberto Antonio Liriano at Orlando's Florida Hospital for Children said. DeLeon was infected while swimming at an Orlando theme part, eventually complaining of headaches that were so severe he would recoil from a gentle touch. 

While the issue has likely moved past its severity, the growing changes in the climate will make these cases more prevalent. Heads should remain on swivels at least, with maybe a half swivel for good measure.