Moises Ponce Mendoza, 17, died on Aug. 31 after his illness was linked to possible exposure to a brain-eating amoeba at a water feature at El Futuro. The case has pushed the Durham County Health Department and El Futuro to work with the state on what comes next for the closed feature.
Investigators found non-viable Naegleria fowleri DNA at the site, and health officials said Mendoza had splashed water on his face there. Dr. Carl Williams said, "Any time there's water with the amoeba in it, and it gets up into your nose, that can be an exposure."
Dr. Carl Williams on exposure
Williams also said, "That opens up the possibility of less forceful situations, like splashing." His comments point to the way the exposure route can happen even without diving or a strong water jet. Brain-eating Amoeba North Carolina
Naegleria fowleri occurs naturally in soil and warm freshwater, including ponds, lakes and rivers, and it can also be found in poorly maintained outdoor water features. Health officials advised people exposed to warm freshwater to use nose clips. The guidance is aimed at keeping water from entering the nose, where the amoeba can cause infection.
El Futuro permitting process
The Durham County Health Department said El Futuro has not completed the required application, evaluation and permitting process for the water feature. The department also said all permitted pools and water features in Durham County are inspected regularly as required by the state.
The water feature at El Futuro remains closed while the center works with public health officials. That leaves the site shut until the state and local review advances far enough for the permitting questions to be resolved.
Museum of Life and Science
Ro Rode said the Museum of Life and Science has multiple water features, and each exhibit area has its own filtration system that runs continuously. Rode said, "We test those daily when the temperatures rise above 80 degrees," and, "Those are tested twice daily to make sure that our chlorine levels and many other levels are at the levels that we want them to be."
For families in Durham County, the immediate takeaway is simple: water features that are open to the public are supposed to be handled under a permitting and inspection system, and the El Futuro feature is still outside that process. The unresolved piece is whether it will reopen only after it finishes the required steps and gets back through state and local review.
