Meningitis Outbreak in US Now Kills 23 as Death Toll Expected to Rise

Meningitis Outbreak in US Now Kills 23 as Death Toll Expected to Rise :

theintelhub.com
October 22, 2012

Health regulators determined last Thursday that NECC steroid vials were contaminated with a deadly fungus, with upwards of 14,000 people possibly exposed.

Reuters reports;

The U.S. death toll from fungalmeningitis linked to potentially contaminated steroid injections has risen by two to 23, with North Carolina reporting its first death, health officials said on Saturday.

Tennessee’s death total in the outbreak rose to eight, the highest state total, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on its website.

States reported 13 new cases of fungal meningitis, raising the total to 281. There are also three peripheral infections caused by injections into joints.

The outbreak stems from medications shipped by the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Massachusetts. The company faces federal and state investigations and lawsuits over the tainted medications.

Indiana and New Hampshire reported two new cases apiece. Virginia, Tennessee and New Jersey each had three new cases, the CDC said.

Meanwhile the CDC says the numbers continue to rise.