Minnesota Gets Hit by the 11th Confirmed Meningitis Outbreak Victim
There has been yet another victim of the fungal meningitis contamination outbreak reported this week. Toxic Exposure continues to claim victims across the nation.
Meningococcal meningitis diphtheria conjugate vaccine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
According to the StarTribune, an eleventh person was confirmed dead as a result of the tainted steroid shots that came from a Massachusetts pharmacy. These shots are administered into the spine where they have direct access to the nervous system and can cause damage to a person’s body and may put them at risk of death.
As the national outbreak continues to claim victims, the state Health Department revisited the total on Tuesday. They did not make details of this new case such as severity, gender, age and location, available to the public.
An estimated 1,000 patients in Minnesota are thought to have received the injections when they went to see the Medical Advanced Pain Specialists or the Minnesota Surgery Center.
New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass supplied both clinics with the contaminated steroids. Federal health authorities alerted clinics nationwide to stop using them after they had been recalled to prevent further people from getting contaminated.
At least two Minnesota patients that were hospitalized for treatment have been showing signs of recovery. Additional information regarding the state of the victims was not released by state health officials.
Symptoms of headaches and neck pain have been reported by possible Minnesotan victims despite there only being eleven positive confirmed cases. There have been hundreds of people that have already been tested for the fungal infection.
Incubation periods that range from 42 to 66 days makes it possible that more cases of infection could resurface, despite having ceased using the tainted steroid weeks ago.
Being under federal investigation, New England Compounding Center has been forced to cease operation. The center supplied over 100 clinics in Minnesota with various products.
As time goes on, more cases stemming from the contaminated steroid shots are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the last reading, nationwide, there have been 419 reported cases linked to the contaminated steroid shots. The death toll, as of Monday has reached thirty. Many of the people that were positively tested for the disease have been able to slowly recover.
Meningitis, the fungal infection can make people sick and put them at the brink of death. If you were a victim who had the contaminated injection administered by a health professional you need to contact our toxic exposure lawyer today! You may be entitled to compensation.
Reviewed by Chris H. in 2012.