A North Carolina teen who developed a rare illness caused by a brain-eating amoeba died on August 31, according to The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
WRAL previously reported when the teen contracted the illness.
The NCDHHS said the illness caused by Naegleria fowleri is “naturally present in warm freshwater like ponds, lakes and rivers”
On the Center for Disease Control’s website, they describe the illness as “a rare but almost always fatal infection if the amoeba goes up the nose and to the brain”
The NCDHHS recommends that, when entering warm freshwater, especially later in the summer, to hold your nose or keep your head above water. They also say to avoid jumping or diving into freshwater, especially during “periods of high water temperatures and low water levels”
NCDHHS says that to protect the family’s privacy, no more information will be released.