CDC: 91 Sickened in Fungal Meningitis Outbreak

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday reported 91 cases of fungal meningitis believed to be linked to tainted injections.

A steroid connected to the outbreak, distributed by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass., has been recalled, and the company issued a voluntary recall of all its products Saturday.

State health officials last week medications. About 1,000 New Jersey residents were injected with the drug, however, no cases have been reported in the state.

"All patients who may have received these medications need to be tracked down immediately. Patients can find the names of the clinics that used these medications on the CDC website," Dr. Benjamin Park of the CDC said in a statement. "It is possible that if patients with infection are identified soon and put on appropriate antifungal therapy, lives may be saved."

The outbreak has spread across nine states and claimed seven lives, according to the CDC.

-- Staff Report 

Follow Patch on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to our free daily newsletter.