Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: Fleas and Belize

28 March 2016 News 2

From Nortes to Summer in the Blink of an Eye

Its time to put every hot weather safety precaution you can muster into practice. Temperatures are running between 24 C (75 F) and 38 C (100 F), with the humidity fluctuating between 72% and 98%. Stay inside during the hottest parts of the day, drink plenty of fluids, eat well, and learn the fine art of the afternoon siesta.

Beach Food Safety

For those who eat from food carts, in the city or at the beach, this is one time of the year when you might want to observe your vendor for a little while before purchasing his or her wares. It doesn’t take fresh food long to spoil in 100 F degrees and you do not want your stomach to be the final resting place of spoiled food. If you do get sick, go immediately to a doctor. Your problem may be minor and simply related to heat exposure. On the other hand, you could have full blown food poisoning and a one day delay could cause more damage than you know. Safe is always better than sorry. On while we are on the subject, be sure to wash your hands before eating those tacos!

Eleven Forest Fires in Yucatan

Fires are easily started in the tropics when the weather is hot and the sun is blazing. Please be careful to pick up anything reflective from your yard or, for that matter, from anywhere. Even a piece of reflective paper can start a forest fire. Remember your driving safety behaviors as well. Do not drive into smoke. If you find yourself in smoke, turn on your lights so that others can see you. If you arrive on the scene of a fire and the authorities are not already there, do report the fire by dialing 116.

Yucatan Beaches: Nine Dead Dolphins, Two Dead Whales

During the first quarter of 2016, nine dolphins and two whales have turned up dead on the beaches of Progreso and Sisal. After an investigation by PROFEPA, six of the dolphins that stranded themselves in Sisal show signs of being the victims of offshore collisions with boats. The intersection of the world of man and the world of the sea is a fragile one that, all too often, ends in the deaths of sea creatures. If you have a boat or fish on the Gulf of Mexico, please take care to avoid the dolphins as much as possible. After autopsy, it was announced that the whales died of natural causes.

Yucatan: Leader in Tissue Engineering

When organ transplantation became possible, Yucatan became a leader in the field. Now, the newest concept is tissue engineering, in which the patient literally “grows their own” new tissue. This process calls for a biodegradable scaffold to be put in place at the site, then various growth stimulating procedures and growth factors jump-start the regenerative process. Regenerating skin for burn victims is a reality now and Yucatan has been working with tissue engineering for organs for six years. The future of complex medicine and medical research, in Yucatan, grows brighter with each passing day and is a great point of pride for everyone who calls Yucatan home.

Yucatan Attacks Deficiencies in Housing, Education, and Health Care

With the direct assistance and blessing of relevant Federal agencies in Mexico, Yucatan is making a frontal attack on deficiencies in housing, education and health care. This program is beginning with 9,000 cement floors provided for needy Yucatecos throughout the state, along with 40,000 adult education scholarships, and outreach programs for those who have, until now, lived beyond the reach of current medical assistance sites. Houses that need additional rooms or an ecological stove will get them, and those who need access to clean water will receive it. This is an ambitious program, but one that Yucatan is ready, willing and able to implement.

HIV / AIDS in Senior Citizens in Yucatan

HIV / AIDS is often thought to be a disease of the young. That kind of thinking ignores the fact that senior citizens are sexually active and that 4% of the cases of HIV / AIDS in Yucatan are found in this segment of the population. Exposure could come from a sexual encounter with a life-long, trusted friend – or even from stepping on something sharp that has washed up on the beach. Life is more complicated for everyone in the 21st century and Yucatan is working hard to educate all senior citizens about every phase of HIV / AIDS.

Fleas and Ticks: Risk for Rickettsia typhi

With the news that there is a vaccine to combat dengue fever, some might begin to relax their efforts to destroy places where mosquitoes can breed. It is vital that these efforts continue. It is also imperative that everyone fights fleas and ticks. Last year, there were 35 cases of Rickettsia typhi in the eastern part of Yucatan. This is a bacterial disease, in the same family as Rocky Mountain Fever. The protocols for treating dengue fever and Rickettsia are different, but the presentation of the diseases are similar and the two can easily be confused. So far this year, there are no reported cases of Rickettsia in Yucatan, but only active efforts to stop fleas and ticks can keep the state safe. Please do your part to fight both viral dengue fever and the bacterial infections caused by fleas and ticks. Its going to be a long, hot summer and everyone needs to do their part to keep us all safe from these diseases.

Belize Tourists in Quintana Roo

Over the course of the past week, between 30,000 and 35,000 Belizeans have crossed into Quintana Roo. Most say they are coming on holiday, but many are coming to purchase groceries and household goods. The exchange rate is bringing on a holiday air all its own and, in many cases, the savings are completely paying for a very nice vacation. The sheer numbers of Belizean tourists has served to add quite a few new jobs in the tourism sector in Quintana Roo and it is expected that these “almost local” tourists will be back soon.

Profepa Shuts Down Rancho Grande

There seems to be a never-ending line of foolish people who are ready and willing to put all of their money and years of their life on the line in an effort to cut costs and sneak around Mexico’s environmental protection laws. Such is the case with the people who just tried to turn over 16 hectares of forest, in Tizimin, into a housing development without filing a single document with Semarnat. Now, not only has Profepa shut them down, but they are facing a penalty of 100 to 200,000 times the minimum wage and six months to nine years in prison. The sad part about this is that Profepa doesn’t step in until actual damage is done, which means it could be generations before the site recovers. However, it is good to know that these opportunists will not be a danger to Yucatan for a very long time.