(Daily360.com) – There’s an outbreak of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in southern California; so far it’s been small but authorities are warning doctors to be on the lookout for patients exhibiting symptoms who may have visited Mexico recently. To this point there have been five cases reported in California, with all five people having recently been in Tecate, Mexico. All were diagnosed with RMSF between July and December at southern California hospitals.
Of the five people diagnosed, three have died, four were under 18 years of age, and two were Mexican residents. The CDC issued a medical advisory on December 8th regarding the outbreak. They say RMSF is a disease that progresses rapidly, is five times more deadly in children, and is typically transferred via tick bite. Doctors say that although the outbreak has been limited to one area there are still reasons for concern beyond that area.
Dr. Marc Siegel, speaking to Fox News, says the open border is a recipe for what would have otherwise been a locally contained outbreak to reach a vast number of communities throughout the country. The current Biden administration policy is not to test any illegal aliens for disease and send them via flights or buses to destinations all over the United States.
RMSF can be treated with a high rate of success if detected early. Doctors say the problem with lack of early detection is ignorance of behalf of the afflicted. The symptoms initially appear very similar to those of the common flu. Afflicted people would likely experience a mild fever in the early days, followed by a headache, abdominal pain, and finally the spotted rash that gave RMSF its name. Eventually people will develop gastrointestinal symptoms along with muscle aches and pains. In later stages a person could develop swelling in the brain, disorientation, and potentially coma and death.
The CDC strongly advises people who have recently been to northern Mexico to get checked out immediately if they feel any of these symptoms. They also recommend treating dogs with an EPA-suggested pest repellent to prevent ticks from breeding.
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