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8 Texas cities on alert for a brain-eating amoeba

2020-09-28T10:21:01.870Z


A brain-eating amoeba was found in water supplies in Texas, prompting one city to issue a disaster declaration.


Here's what we know about the brain-eating amoeba 1:03

(CNN) -

Residents of eight Texas cities have been alerted that a brain-eating amoeba was found in a water supply in the southeast of the state, prompting one of the towns to issue a disaster declaration.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) issued a water advisory to residents served by the Brazosport Water Authority.

He warned customers not to use water due to the presence of Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba, found in the water supply Friday night.

"The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, under the direction of the Governor's Office, is working with the Brazosport Water Authority to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," the notice reads.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the brain-eating amoeba is commonly found in soil, warm lakes, rivers, and hot springs.

It can also be found in poorly maintained or chlorine-free swimming pools and in hot water discharges from industrial plants.

The No Water Use Notice was issued to the residents of Lake Jackson, Freeport, Angleton, Brazoria, Richwood, Oyster Creek, Clute, and Rosenberg, Texas.

As well as for the Dow Chemical plant in Freeport and the Clemens and Wayne Scott Texas Department of Criminal Justice penitentiary facilities.

Since then, the TCEQ has cleared all but one of the locations, according to a statement on Twitter.

Disaster declaration issued in Lake Jackson

Lake Jackson has issued a disaster declaration and residents are still urged to heed the No Water Advisory.

Until the Brazosport Water Authority has completed a proper flush of its water system, per the TCEQ.

The incident began on September 8, when a 6-year-old boy who was hospitalized with the amoeba was reported to the city.

The child's problem can be traced back to two possible sources.

A “wading pool” from a water feature across from Lake Jackson Civic Center.

Or through the water emitted by a hose in the boy's house, according to a statement from the city.

City authorities said the wading pool was immediately closed.

They hired a private lab to test a five-gallon water sample from the fountain.

Results came back negative on Sept. 14 for Naegleria fowleri, and the CDC was contacted to conduct further water tests from the wading pool.

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: Keys to understanding what the brain-eating amoeba is

Representatives from the Texas Department of Health Services collected water and analyzed samples from the wading pool for the CDC.

On September 25, three of the 11 water samples tested positive for Naegleria fowleri.

The CDC sent the test results to the TCEQ, and the Texas agency then required the Brazosport Water Authority to issue a No Water Use notice to its customer base, the statement read.

The TCEQ is currently testing chlorine levels in the City of Lake Jackson's water source.

And you have determined that it will take approximately three days to clean the system.

Meanwhile, local residents can receive a free box of water from the city.

The CDC says that while Naegleria fowleri infections are rare, most are fatal.

From 2009 to 2018, only 34 infections were reported in the United States.

Of the reported cases, 30 people were infected with recreational water.

According to the CDC, 145 people were infected between 1962 and 2018 and only four survived.

Brain-eating amoeba

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2020-09-28

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