Until now, the Mexican government has added all its efforts to address the causes of meningitis in Matamoros, Tamaulipas; IMSS and ISSSTE participate.
The cases of meningitis continue to increase after the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), confirmed that there are 23 cases of infected people, nine in the United States and 14 in the city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas due to fusarium solani, the same fungus that caused a strong outbreak in the state of Durango in recent months; In addition to this, health specialists have found a similarity in the cases registered in both states when undergoing anesthesia for aesthetic procedures.
Currently, meningitis is characterized by inflammation of the tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord, this was announced by the authorities after based on the symptoms presented by people infected in Durango since September 2022, now, in Matamoros they are already working to find the differences to prevent a tragedy as happened in the hospitals of Ciudad Victoria.
What are the similarities between the meningitis outbreaks in Durango and Tamaulipas?
During the outbreak of meningitis in Durango, Hugo López-Gatell highlighted that it was caused by a fungus known as fusarium solani, this was due to an infected anesthetic; It is believed that it occurred during the manufacture of the medicines or, fails during the time they were stored, that is where the similarities with the Matamoros cases begin, since they arose in health clinics, which are already closed to determine the causes.
“Scientific investigations lead us to common conclusions; the presumed cause of infection was through an anesthesia procedure. There is a procedure where the anesthesia is applied directly to the spinal cord, it is used throughout the country, throughout the world, and under normal conditions it is safe,” said López-Gatell.
What are differences between the cases of meningitis in Tamaulipas and Durango?
The differences between the cases of meningitis reported in Tamaulipas and the cases in Durango are not yet very visible, however, it is highlighted that in the first cases registered in 2022, at least four hospitals correspond to pregnant women, while currently they have not revealed the identities of those infected, however, there is concern for babies, as four newborn babies have reported Enterobacter cloacae, which is related to surgical wounds, for which it is feared that it may affect minors.
Two are currently hospitalized and stable in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; one was discharged due to improvement and one more who died.
What are the symptoms of meningitis that affects Tamaulipas and Durango?
After the cases registered in Durango, better details could be given about the symptoms that occur with meningitis, in this way the Government of Mexico informed that the disease is felt from the third day and is presented as follows:
Sudden high fever
Neck stiffness
Severe headache that seems different than usual
Headache with nausea or vomiting
Confusion or difficulty concentrating
Seizures
Drowsiness or difficulty walking
Light sensitivity
Lack of appetite or thirst
Skin rash (sometimes, as in meningococcal meningitis)
What institutions in Mexico attend to cases of meningitis?
Until now, the government of Mexico has added all its efforts to address the causes, for this reason the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) and the Institute of Security and Social Services of State Workers (ISSSTE), among the actions they do are:
Medical attention
Epidemiological surveillance
Laboratory diagnosis
Sanitary verification
Case tracking
Personal training
In the case of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, the General Hospital “Dr. Alfredo Pumarejo” of the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the General Hospital of Zone No. 13 of the IMSS in Matamoros, serve as reference units for all patients.
Source: TV Azteca
