KARACHI, July 26: Reporting of the waterborne amoeba caused deaths for 2012 in the city dated back to May and not July, during which five such deaths were confirmed by a World Health Organisation body, it emerged on Thursday.

An official of the health department said the WHO’s Disease Early Warning System (DEWS) after rechecking its information related to the death of a 49-year-old man at an armed forces’ hospital in the city had informed the authorities concerned that the man was admitted to the hospital with Naegleria fowleri infection (primary amoebic meningoencephelitis) symptoms on May 8.

His cerebrospinal fluid sample tested positive for Naegleria fowleri on May 10, while he died at the hospital on May 16, a DEWS report issued on Thursday said.