KARACHI: Not a trace of chlorine has been found in the water being supplied to 41 per cent neighbourhoods of the city, indicating that millions of citizens are at risk of contracting lethal Naegleria fowleri (also known as ‘brain-eating’ amoeba), said officials on Wednesday.

They added that the finding was part of an effort of a focal group to get the people aware of the problem and involve them in precautionary measures to curb the lethality of the parasite that has killed nine people in the city this year so far.

The focal group comprising representatives of civic agencies and provincial health department was constituted by the Sindh government some 45 days back after several deaths caused by Naegleria fowleri had been reported in the media.

The results of the water samples collected from various areas and tested by the focal group showed that not a trace of chlorine was found from the water being supplied to more than 40 per cent neighbourhoods of Karachi. “The situation is far worse than what was witnessed in previous years,” the officials said.

“We have collected and tested more than 1,000 samples of water from various parts of the city of which we found no chlorine at all in 41pc of the total samples collected and examined so far,” said a member of the focal group while speaking to Dawn.

Officials said chlorine levels at most of the KWSB pumping houses were not satisfactory, which was hugely troublesome for the experts, as it meant almost entire city faced the dangers posed by Naegleria.

As the focal group, which was meant to be a reporting body, started collecting and testing the samples, the figures it was getting each day were worse than what it had got last year.

One of the group’s tasks is keeping chlorine at a ‘desired level’ across the metropolis, but it is yet to be achieved.

An official said the situation had turned out graver than what one expected to be, as water chlorination was on the decline with each passing year.Lack of chlorination provides formidable habitat to lethal Naegleria fowleri in the warm waters that enters through the nasal cavity and eats up human brain tissues, leaving almost no chance for any victim to survive.

So far the deadly parasite has killed six residents of Karachi and one each of Thatta, Hub and Umerkot who were shifted to the metropolis in precarious condition after the disease brought them to terminal stage.

Tests conducted in the year 2013 showed an average of 41 per cent of the city being supplied with unsatisfactorily chlorinated water. The percentage increased to 45 last year. The samples collected during first half of this year show fewer parts of the city being supplied with adequately chlorinated water.

“We believe that a significant number of the remaining samples have unsatisfactory chlorine levels, less than 0.25 part per million (ppm) as required for domestic consumers, which will show us how a huge effort is required to save our people from the deadly disease,” said the official.

Precautionary measures

However, he said, they did not want to frighten the people; instead, it was part of an effort to spread awareness so that people take precautionary measures.

“People should chlorinate their water tanks by their own resources as well. Chlorine tablets are available at medical stores, which could save them from more dangerous diseases.”

The authorities understood that chlorine was available in sufficient quantity yet the execution of a proper strategy was lacking.

Citizens horrified by brain-eating amoeba’s lethality feel the need to make sure that their water supply is safe. But they are already investing huge sums out of their pockets to save them from the diseases such as dengue and malaria.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play