Urgent warning as tick bites kill eight people – and leave a four-year-old hospitalized – in Mexican border city of Ciudad Juárez
Mexican health authorities have issued a warning following a rise in infections and deaths from tick bites in the northern state of Chihuahua.
Health figures show that 16 people have died from rickettsia in the state this year.
Eight out of 10 tick-borne illnesses resulted in deaths in Ciudad Juárez, the border city across from El Paso, Texas.
In Chihuahua City, the state capital, 18 cases have been reported, six of which were fatal.
The municipalities of Aquiles Serdán and Meoqui each reported one infection, both with fatal outcomes.
Four-year-old Yahir Rivera was recently hospitalized in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juárez after being bitten by a tick. Health officials in Ciudad Juárez, a municipality in the northern state of Chihuahua, have reported eight deaths linked to tick bites this year. The state capital, Chihuahua City, has recorded six deaths
Friends and family of four-year-old Yahir Rivera took to Facebook on Thursday to search for potential blood donors. The child was bitten by a tick and is currently in hospital in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juárez
One of the most recent reported infections was that of four-year-old Yahir Rivera, who is currently hospitalized at a government-run hospital in Ciudad Juárez.
Friends and family members took to Facebook on Thursday to find blood donors for Rivera, who was diagnosed with rickettsiosis after being bitten by a tick.
Gumaro Barrios, deputy director of the Chihuahua State Health Department, held a press conference on Tuesday and stressed the importance of “personal care, pet care and home cleaning” to prevent tick bites.
“The person must pay great attention to hygiene, constant inspection to check that there are no ticks present,” Barrios explained, while cautioning that residents do not necessarily have to be pet owners to attract ticks.
Gumaro Barrios, deputy director of the Chihuahua State Health Department, held a press conference on Tuesday to address the danger of tick bites
He urged pet owners to ensure their animals are washed, visit the vet to ensure their vaccines are up to date and that they have medication to ensure they do not attract ticks.
Barrios indicated that it is also important that their homes are well maintained. They do this by mowing the lawn, removing items outside or inside that are no longer used, cleaning and repairing the walls, and spraying door and window frames.
‘With these simple measures we can reduce the incidence of the disease. And more importantly, if we show symptoms, we should go to our medical facility immediately,” he said.