A rare brain-eating amoeba has triggered widespread alarm in Israel, with approximately 40 people flocking to hospitals overnight for urgent checkups. This surge in hospital visits follows a dire warning from the Health Ministry about a 10-year-old boy currently fighting for his life after contracting the deadly Naegleria fowleri amoeba at the Gai Beach waterpark on the Sea of Galilee.
The young patient, sedated and ventilated at Ziv Hospital in Safed, represents the second case linked to the Gai Beach waterpark in less than a month. This alarming development comes on the heels of a tragic incident earlier in July when a 26-year-old man succumbed to the same infection after visiting the beach.
In response to the growing concern, hospitals across the country have been inundated with worried individuals.
The Northern Medical Center in Poriya reported examining 40 patients, discharging 36 while admitting four children for further observation. Rambam Medical Center in Haifa saw nine patients, all of whom were discharged without suspicion of infection. Similarly, Haemek Medical Center in Afula checked 20 adults and children, all of whom were sent home showing no symptoms.
As a precautionary measure, authorities have closed the Gai Beach waterpark indefinitely pending a thorough investigation. The Health Ministry had previously tested the water following the first case but found no initial evidence of amoeba contamination.
Health officials are working to balance public safety with measured response. They emphasize that while Naegleria fowleri thrives in warm freshwater, infections are extremely rare. The vast majority of people who swim in water where the amoeba is present do not contract the infection.
As investigations continue, authorities urge the public to remain vigilant but calm.
* The Times of Israel and Kann 11 News contributed to this article.
