Mexicali, December 11. There is no health alert or travel advisory for Baja California due to rickettsia , stated Health Secretary Adrián Medina Amarillas, who reaffirmed the joint work with his counterparts in the United States in the prevention, control, and treatment of the disease.
On December 8, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Network Health Alert for the detection of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, a tick-borne illness caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii, in five people who developed symptoms two weeks after their stay in Tecate.
The cases were diagnosed between July and December of this year in hospitals in Southern California. Three patients were residents of the United States and two were from Mexico. Four were under 18 years old. All five required hospitalization, and three died.
"This is not a health alert or a travel advisory for the state due to this issue, but rather a warning from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to healthcare providers in California , due to the detection of isolated cases in the U.S. territory located in the region. However, there is no emergency or extraordinary situation," Medina Amarillas said.
He also indicated that the U.S. government has never issued a travel advisory regarding this issue, as it is a controlled disease with a low incidence.
According to the CDC, Rocky Mountain spotted fever can progress quickly and develop into a serious, life-threatening illness , so it's a good idea to see a doctor if you experience symptoms after being bitten by a tick or after being in an area where ticks commonly live.
Some of the signs of the disease are fever, headache, rash, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, muscle pain and lack of appetite.
