Six people have died from rickettsiosis in Ensenada so far in 2026, making the port city the epicenter of a tick-borne disease outbreak that has now killed 15 people statewide. Baja California Health Secretary José Adrián Medina Amarillas confirmed the figures this week and issued a public health alert.
Across Baja California, authorities have recorded 36 confirmed rickettsia cases this year. Mexicali leads with 12 cases, followed by Ensenada and Tijuana with 11 each. Two more cases were detected in Vicente Guerrero, in the San Quintín area. Of the state’s 15 deaths, Ensenada accounts for more than a third, a concentration officials called unusual for this point in the year.
Lethal and Fast-Moving
The state health secretary said rickettsiosis currently carries a fatality rate near 50% in Baja California. Of roughly 200 people tested for the disease statewide during the first quarter, 25 came back positive. That ratio, combined with the high death toll, has prompted health authorities to activate alerts in the jurisdictions covering Mexicali, Tijuana, Ensenada, and Tecate.
Rickettsiosis is a bacterial infection caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, transmitted through the bite of an infected brown dog tick. Early symptoms mimic the flu: fever, headache, muscle pain, and fatigue. Without antibiotic treatment, the infection can progress rapidly to organ failure and death within days. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable.
Prevention Campaign Targets Ensenada
Medina Amarillas said health teams have been working in Ensenada for roughly 10 days, coordinating with the municipal government to ensure diagnosed patients receive treatment. The campaign also targets private doctors and pharmacy-adjacent clinics, which are often the first point of contact for sick patients. Officials are training those providers to consider rickettsiosis when a child or teenager presents with unexplained fever.
The areas hardest hit tend to lack basic services, have accumulated trash, and house large populations of stray dogs. All three factors increase tick exposure. Health officials urged residents to keep yards clean, treat pets for ticks regularly, and avoid contact with stray animals.
In Mexicali, cases have declined this year thanks to earlier awareness campaigns, according to the health secretary. Authorities plan to replicate that community-level prevention work across the state. Anyone experiencing sudden fever, severe headache, or a rash after a tick bite should seek medical attention immediately.
This story was first reported by Zeta Tijuana and La Voz de la Frontera.