A Utahn has died after traveling to Tijuana, Mexico, to undergo weight-loss surgery and testing positive for a bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics, state health officials said Monday.
Eight Utahns, including the patient who died, have been infected or colonized with a form of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria (VIM-CRPA) after traveling to Tijuana for similar surgical procedures.
The name of the deceased person was not released. The other patients have recovered.
The Utah Department of Health interviewed the patients or family members and discovered seven of the eight patients, including the patient who died, reported the same surgeon, Mario Almanza, performed their operations.