North Carolina health officials confirmed the Aug. 31, 2026 death of Moises Ponce Mendoza from a Naegleria fowleri infection (primary amebic meningoencephalitis), a rare brain‑eating amoeba contracted from warm freshwater when water enters the nose. PAM is exceedingly deadly, with fewer than 10 US cases annually; symptoms progress rapidly from headache to coma. Officials advise keeping the head above water, using nose clips, avoiding diving, and recognizing that warming waters may expand the amoeba’s range to new areas.
A Central North Carolina teen is critically ill with PAM, a rare brain infection caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri linked to warm freshwater. Public details on where the exposure occurred have not been disclosed; state health officials are coordinating with the CDC to investigate potential water sources. Testing for the amoeba is complex and not part of routine water surveillance, and researchers are pursuing cheaper rapid tests to identify risk hotspots. In the meantime, officials urge prevention measures (keeping water out of the nose, avoiding stirring sediment in warm freshwater) and increased public awareness through education and advocacy groups like Amazing Aven’s Quest for Amoeba Awareness.
A central North Carolina teenager is critically ill after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a rare brain-eating amoeba in warm freshwater that causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis when it enters the nose. Health officials warn the infection is typically fatal and urge precautions such as nose protection, avoiding submersion in warm freshwater, and minimizing sediment disruption; no further details about the patient have been released.
A central North Carolina teenager is critically ill with primary amebic meningoencephalitis caused by Naegleria fowleri, typically contracted when contaminated water enters the nose in warm freshwater. The infection is extremely rare and usually fatal, with symptoms like headache, fever, nausea and stiff neck that can progress to seizures and coma. Health officials advise precautions such as nose clips or holding the nose, keeping the head above water, avoiding diving in warm waters during hot periods, and not stirring up lake sediment; the amoeba is not typically found in saltwater or properly chlorinated pools.
An 8-year-old girl in Louisiana has died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, from freshwater. Infections with this microbe cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) and are extremely rare but typically fatal. Transmission occurs when contaminated water enters the nose during swimming or wading in warm, untreated freshwater; it is not spread person-to-person. Health officials urge precautions around warm lakes and rivers, including avoiding nasal exposure and using nose clips or other barriers when possible.
Genevieve Gallagher, who nearly lost much of her leg to Vibrio vulnificus after swimming with a cut, warns others not to swim with open wounds (or shave the night before entering the water), since Vibrio infections can be deadly and Florida is seeing rising case numbers and fatalities.
Emilie Kiser, a social-media influencer, apologized for briefly leaving her 16-month-old Teddy without a life jacket on a family boat, calling it a lapse in judgment after her 3-year-old son Trigg drowned in a pool at their Arizona home in May 2025; authorities did not file charges against her husband, and Teddy is now enrolled in an Infant Swimming Resource program as Kiser urges CPR training and accountability.
Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh‑eating bacterium that thrives in warm seawater, is spreading as ocean temperatures rise, increasing infections in the U.S. and Europe. In the U.S., cases have been reported in Louisiana (9 cases, 5 deaths), Florida (14 cases, 2 deaths), and Maryland (72 cases as of late June), with the bacterium also spreading into new coastal areas due to warming waters. Infections typically occur when people with open wounds are in warm or brackish water or when handling/consuming raw shellfish; symptoms can progress rapidly to severe tissue damage (necrotizing fasciitis) and even death if not treated promptly. Treatments involve urgent IV antibiotics and sometimes surgical removal of infected tissue, and there are growing concerns about antibiotic resistance. Climate change is driving this spread and amplifying exposure via stronger storms. CDC guidance to reduce risk includes keeping wounds out of water, covering fresh wounds with waterproof bandages, avoiding handling raw seafood when wounds are present, and washing any wounds promptly after water exposure. The infection remains rare but potentially deadly, underscoring the importance of awareness and quick medical care.
Louisiana has recorded five deaths and four hospitalizations in 2026 from Vibrio vulnificus, with all cases linked to open wounds exposed to seawater. Health officials say cases are higher than average for the period and urge precautions such as keeping wounds out of coastal waters, cooking seafood thoroughly, and washing hands after handling shellfish, especially for high-risk individuals.
Rescue teams recovered the body of a 10-year-old girl from the Passaic River after three children were swept into the water near Pulaski Park; an 11-year-old girl survived, a 10-year-old boy had died earlier, and officials urged families to keep children away from park waters.
The U.S. State Department renewed a Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas, citing violent crime, burglaries, sexual assaults and armed robberies—primarily in Nassau and Freeport—and urging travelers to stay alert, avoid swimming alone, monitor vacation rentals without private security, and exercise caution around watercraft; boating safety issues and jet-ski restrictions for U.S. government employees on certain islands were also noted.
Tenants at Haven Plaza in Alphabet City have not showered for about two months after Legionnaires’ bacteria were found in the building’s water, prompting confusion from health officials and mounting criticism of city leadership as residents rally for faster remediation and relief.
Emergency crews shifted the search for a swimmer who disappeared underwater in a Travis County lake from rescue to recovery, with officials saying the swimmer has not yet been located despite extensive efforts.
Health officials warn that flesh-eating bacteria capable of causing necrotizing fasciitis can be found in both Gulf Coast saltwater and Houston-area lakes and ponds. To reduce risk, avoid swimming with open wounds or recent tattoos, wash after water exposure, monitor wounds for signs of infection, and seek urgent care if infection signs appear; early treatment is critical. The bacteria occur naturally in the environment, and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk. Check Texas Beach Watch for current water quality before heading out.
A Grapevine, Texas man intentionally drove a Tesla Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake to test its Wade Mode; the vehicle became disabled with water intrusion but no injuries were reported, and the driver, Jimmy Jack McDaniel, faces multiple charges including operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park, lacking boat registration, and water-safety violations; police urge others not to replicate the stunt.
