Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, something like this happens.
Willow Springs Water Park in Little Rock, Arkansas decided to shut down after a young swimmer was diagnosed with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but deadly infection.
The disease is cause by Naegleria fowleri, an extremely rare amoeba that travels through the nose and directly attacks the brain.
The water park owners David and Lou Ann Ratliff released a statement on the said news and said:
“Though the odds of contracting Naegleria are extremely low, they are just not good enough to allow our friends or family to swim.”
Despite the microscopic chances of getting the infection, this isn’t even the first (or second) time we’ve heard of this, as 10 people in pakistan died from the rare form of meningitis just last year.
The brain-eating amoeba lives in warm, shallow water, and as we previously mentioned it primarily travels through the nose. Symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, and can even lead to confusion and hallucinations.
In almost all recorded cases, the infection has lead to death. In fact, in the past 50 years, 128 has been diagnosed with the disease and only one person has survived.
Doctors highly recommend avoiding warm and shallow fresh water and reporting to a hospital immediately if you come down with the symptoms.
Be sure to stay safe everyone!!
[Image via Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen B. Thornton/AP Images.]
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