Officials in the northern Mexican state of Durango on Monday announced another death from a mysterious meningitis outbreak, bringing the total number of victims linked to the disease to 35.
So far, the health authorities in the largely rural state have documented 79 cases of meningitis over the past few months.
It is usually associated with painful inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, and is often caused by a virus or, in some cases, by a bacterial or fungal infection.
Authorities confirmed the first case of meningitis in Durango late last year.
Health authorities in Durango are reporting new cases almost every day, as well as hospitalizations and deaths from the disease.
In a post on its website, the Durango state government described the ongoing meningitis outbreak as “a situation without precedent in the world,” stressing that officials at all levels of the Mexican government are working together to try to determine the best way to treat patients.
It is not known when the outbreak began in Durango, or how many patients have recovered from a previous outbreak.