Advertisement
Australia markets closed
  • ALL ORDS

    8,153.70
    +80.10 (+0.99%)
     
  • ASX 200

    7,896.90
    +77.30 (+0.99%)
     
  • AUD/USD

    0.6514
    -0.0004 (-0.07%)
     
  • OIL

    83.11
    -0.06 (-0.07%)
     
  • GOLD

    2,254.80
    +16.40 (+0.73%)
     
  • Bitcoin AUD

    108,168.54
    +1,276.73 (+1.19%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • AUD/EUR

    0.6042
    +0.0008 (+0.13%)
     
  • AUD/NZD

    1.0903
    +0.0001 (+0.01%)
     
  • NZX 50

    12,105.29
    +94.63 (+0.79%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    18,254.69
    -26.15 (-0.14%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,952.62
    +20.64 (+0.26%)
     
  • Dow Jones

    39,807.37
    +47.29 (+0.12%)
     
  • DAX

    18,492.49
    +15.40 (+0.08%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,347.59
    +179.52 (+0.45%)
     

Boy, 13, dies from brain-eating amoeba after swimming in lake

A teenage boy has died from a brain-eating amoeba after going for a swim in a lake.

Tanner Lake Wall, 13, died on August 2 after going for a dip at a North Florida campground, News4Jax reports.

Tanner was on holiday with his family at the time but got sick two days after taking a dip.

Travis Wall, Tanner’s dad, told the publication his son began to feel nauseas and have “pretty bad headaches”.

Tanner Wall, 13, is pictured.
Tanner Lake Wall, 13, died on August 2 after going for a dip at a North Florida campground. Source: News4Jax

The teen was hospitalised and told he had strep throat. His parents didn’t trust that diagnosis though.

He was taken to another hospital and placed on a ventilator.

“They said, ‘We’re sorry to tell you this, but your son does not have bacterial meningitis. He has a parasitic amoeba, and there is no cure’,” Mr Wall said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tanner had naegleria fowleri, which is also known as the brain-eating amoeba.

The amoeba also killed a man who swam in an indoor pool in India earlier this year.

Tanner had no brain activity and his parents took him off life support.

Mr Wall hopes Tanner’s death will raise awareness for people swimming in warm waters about the dangers of the amoeba.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.