“Narcos: Mexico” actor Manuel Masalva is 'fighting for his life' in coma after contracting bacterial infection

Manuel Masalva, the Mexican actor who starred as Ramón Arellano Félix on Netflix's Narcos: Mexico, is "fighting for his life" after suffering a health emergency.

Masalva, 34, is currently in a medically induced coma at a hospital in Dubai after contracting an aggressive bacterial infection, a representative for the actor confirmed to Entertainment Weekly.

"Doctors have said that Manuel is responding to the treatment to attack the bacteria and little by little his body is getting stronger," Masalva's agent Jaime Jaramillo Espinosa said Tuesday. "There is daily encouraging news and it will be a matter of days or a couple of weeks before his health condition allows him to be taken off sedation and regain consciousness. For now, it is a matter of waiting, as it is a slow process."

On Friday, the Los Angeles Times reported that Masalva arrived in the Middle Eastern city on March 18 after spending time in the Philippines, and within two days noticed internal discomfort and pain. He underwent emergency surgery March 26 after doctors discovered the bacteria, and by the following day the infection had reached his lungs, prompting the medically induced coma.

"His respirator was lowered to 80 percent, which means that his lungs are reacting," Jaramillo Espinosa told the Times. He added that Masalva was in critical but stable condition.

Mario Morán, a friend and fellow actor, addressed Masalva's condition in an Instagram video last week, asking fans for their support.

"My brother is fighting for his life far from home. I want to ask for your help in this very difficult moment," Morán said in Spanish, per the Times. "Manuel Masalva — who is one of my best friends [and] who is really like a brother to me — fell victim to an aggressive bacteria while he was on vacation. This led to him being in an induced coma, and now his situation continues to be delicate."

He continued, "The medical costs are huge and in a country where everything is even more difficult. Any help, however small it may seem, can make a difference in this difficult moment. If you are able to help, I would thank you with all of my heart."

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Morán directed fans to a GoFundMe page launched by Masalva's family to cover his medical costs. The fundraiser has already surpassed its goal of 1 million Mexican pesos ($48,700). Morán later shared a Tik Tok update thanking fans for their support.

Masalva has starred in more than a dozen films and TV shows, including Narcos: Mexico, a fictional series about Mexico's illegal drug trade. The series, which concluded in 2021 after three seasons, also starred Diego Luna, Michael Peña, and Tenoch Huerta Mejía.

[This article has been updated with a statement from Masalva's agent.]

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly