Number of Spotted Fever Cases Near Belo Horizonte Rises to 34

By Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Municipality of Contagem, in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, reported 34 cases of spotted fever. The latest was noted last Thursday, June 6th: a 15-year-old living in the Eldorado neighborhood, outside the designated risk area. She was assisted in an Emergency Care Unit and was discharged.

The risk area is the Vila Boa Vista neighborhood, in Contagem. Four family members living in the area have died. Three of the deaths were confirmed to have been caused by spotted fever.

Civil Defense has sealed off one of the neighborhood streets for approximately one kilometer. Everyone entering the location must register, in order to control the flow of people and avoid exposure to the star tick, a carrier of the disease that kills in up to 60 percent of the cases.

Five deaths have been recorded this year in Minas Gerais. Representatives of the Ministry of Health monitored, on Friday, June 7th, the work carried out by the Contagem municipal authorities.

From next Monday, June 10th, two locations will offer tick repellent bathing service to cart horses. This measure is intended to assist residents of up to 90 local neighborhoods.