His fiancee is also dead: racing driver dies after being bitten by a tick

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Douglas Costa, a 42-year-old veteran pilot, was driving the AMG Cup Brazil, a Mercedes event, when he felt the first symptoms: headache, nausea, fever, muscle aches, skin rashes. He was previously with his fiancé in the countryside in Campinas, where they were both bitten by ticks on May 27. Campinas, the place of origin of the sugar cane liqueur Cachaça, is located about 100 kilometers north of São Paulo.

His girlfriend Mariana Giordana (36) had the same symptoms. Both were taken to the hospital in São Paulo, where they were diagnosed with a rare infectious disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever. That was on June 7.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever was first observed in the Rocky Mountains, but can be found in most of the United States and Central and South America. In humans, infections can occur particularly from March to September, when adult ticks are active.

dead within four hours

A bite becomes life-threatening to humans if the tick has physical contact for more than six hours, which apparently was the case with Costa and his girlfriend.

On June 8, one day after the hospital transfer, almost two weeks after the infection, both died under dramatic circumstances. Costa died at noon, four hours later his fiancée.

Those responsible for the AMG Cup are shocked. They wrote a statement: “Our deepest condolences to all family and friends. We know what a wonderful man Douglas was and how he will leave a great void in the hearts of all who had the honor and pleasure of knowing him.”

Source : Blick