KARACHI – New fatal disease Naegleria Fowleri has become talk of the town while the citizens, who are already facing the worse law and order situation and poor health facilities in the metropolis, are once again advised by the Sindh Health Department to take preventive measures against the new fatal disease.As many as 10 people have been died due to the fatality of the disease from July 7 to October 3, 2012, as the disease is 99 per cent fatal but 100 per cent preventable. Sudden spread of the disease has caused immense fear among the citizens as all 10 cases of Naegleria Fowleri are reported in the City. Dr Sagheer Ahmed, provincial minister for health, has expressed deep concern over the deaths of citizens in city due to fatal disease Naegleria Fowleri, and directed the authorities concerned to play their due role. The spread of the disease has also caused financial loss to the businessmen, running farmhouses for recreation of citizens in the suburb areas, as the naegleria fowleri has also been found from swimming pools that are poorly maintained and minimally-chlorinated in various farmhouses. Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) secretary general Dr Mirza Ali Azhar, while talking to The Nation, urged the government to ensure check on the performance of civic authorities, especially the Karachi Water Board, which is responsible for purification of water being supplied to the citizens. He said that the government must ensure that the treated water should be supplied so that the citizens can be prevented from the deadly disease. Sometimes non-chlorinated water supplied to the citizens due to corruption of the officials, he said. Talking to The Nation, Dr Shakil Malik, focal person of Sindh Dengue Surveillance Cell, advised the citizens not be panicked as the disease is 100 per cent preventable. He said that the disease was found in warm freshwater, such as lakes and rivers, geothermal (naturally hot) water, hot springs, warm water discharge from industrial plants, swimming pools that were poorly maintained, minimally-chlorinated, and non-chlorinated water heaters. Naegleria fowleri grows best at higher temperatures up to 47 degree centigrade and can survive for short periods at higher temperatures, he added.“Citizens are advised to use boiled or chlorinated water for cleaning nose, as brain eating amoeba, enters the body through nose. The cases of the disease reported mainly during the summer season which is the hotbed of the breeding of the disease.” Signs and symptoms of the infection included severe frontal headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures, altered mental status, hallucination and coma. It is to remind that these features do occur in other diseases like meningitis etc. The citizens are advised to immediately contact their doctors. However, the disease cannot be transmitted from one person to other. Citizens must avoid water activities in fresh warm water parks without ensuring that the water is properly chlorinated. They must use boiled or chlorinated water for nasal cleaning, he said.As reports, issued by Sindh Health Department, a total of 10 people died of naegleria fowleri during July 7 to October 3, 2012. The names of victims, included Fahad, Farhan, Shiekh Imran, Ikramul Haq, Qaiser Khan, Akmal Abbas Khan, Saad Khan, Zain. However, two names of the victims are not disclosed.