Tick bites kill 16 in Chihuahua
by: Julian Resendiz
Posted: Jun 27, 2024 / 02:12 PM CDT
Updated: Jun 28, 2024 / 02:15 AM CDT
State authorities urge owners to keep pets healthy, call on people to seek treatment for Rocky Mountain spotted fever
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Summer not only brings hot temperatures that can dehydrate humans; it’s also prime time for the reproduction of dangerous bugs, according to medical experts.
In Chihuahua, Mexico, health authorities put residents on notice after confirming that 16 people who contracted rickettsia have died in the past few weeks. Half the deaths were in Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas.
Tick-borne illnesses kill 15 in Juarez
Dr. Gumaro Barrios attributed the deaths to tick bites, though the disease, known in the United States as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can also be spread by fleas, lice and some mites.
“We want to prevent further fatalities. We urge people to seek medical care as soon as they know they have been (bitten) by a tick,” Barrios, head of prevention at the Chihuahua State Health Department, said at an online news conference this week. “As responsible pet owners, we must take them to the veterinarian for all the care a dog needs – from bathing to vaccines to medication if it has ticks.”
https://www.borderreport.com/news/health/tick-bites-kill-16-in-chihuahua/
