By Farah Ghazi
Edited by Maizatul
Photo credit: The Straits Times
CALIFORNIA, September 20, 2023: A mother of one had all four of her limbs amputated after eating tilapia fish that was believed to be undercooked and contaminated with a bacterial infection.
Laura Barajas, 40, had critical surgery as she faced a life-threatening condition after being hospitalised for over a month due to the infection. She is now suffering from quadriplegia, a paralysis condition that affects a person from the neck down.
According to Ms. Barajas’ friend, Ms. Anna Messina, she felt ill days after she cooked and ate a fish she bought from the market nearby in late July. She was then reported to be getting aid from a respirator as she was on the verge of dying.
Ms. Barajas was placed in a coma under medical supervision at the hospital. Her fingers, feet, and bottom lip turned black. She also had severe sepsis, in which her immune system reacted poorly to the infection, consequently causing kidney malfunction.
Ms. Messina suspected that the infection was caused by a type of bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus, often found in raw seafood. This bacteria was warned about by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on 1st September.
The CDC stated that about 150 to 200 cases of the infection have been reported each year in the United States, and one in every five people who catch the bacteria dies.
The CDC also announced that people can become infected with Vibrio vulnificus by consuming undercooked or raw seafood.
To cover her friend’s medical bills, Ms. Messina started a GoFundMe campaign, which now has raised more than $35,000 (RM 173,834.50).
Ms. Messina, together with Barajas’ family, are still trying to figure out what happened to Ms. Barajas. Due to the tragic incident, she hopes that people will appreciate their lives even more. She added that people should be thankful for every single thing that they have now as it can be taken away at any moment. ***
Comments