Mass Swim in Sea of Galilee Postponed After Child Contracts Brain-Eating Amoeba

A mass swimming event scheduled for September 19 at the Sea of Galilee has been postponed to November 14 following the hospitalization of a nine-year-old boy in serious condition due to a rare infection with the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The child is currently in intensive care at Rambam Hospital in Haifa. Preliminary investigations indicate the boy contracted the amoeba approximately one week before his hospitalization, after swimming at Kursi beach on the Sea of Galilee.

Naegleria fowleri typically thrives in warm freshwater and, in extremely rare instances, can cause severe central nervous system damage. Infection occurs when amoeba-containing water enters the nose, allowing the organism to travel to the brain. The amoeba cannot be contracted through drinking water or from person-to-person contact.

The Israeli Ministry of Health reports fewer than 500 cases globally and three diagnosed cases in Israel in recent years. The disease progresses rapidly and has a high mortality rate. The ministry advises swimmers in warm freshwater bodies to avoid getting water in their nose, especially when diving or jumping, and to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms like high fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, or unusual drowsiness appear after swimming.