Meningitis outbreak in US

U.S. Meningitis Toll Up to 21 as Outbreak Widens

Cryptogon,

20 October, 2012

The death toll in the United States from an unprecedented outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to a contaminated drug has climbed to 21 people, health officials said Friday.

The number of infections tied to the tainted steroid rose to 271 in 16 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on its website.

Officials have said at least 14,000 people in 23 states could be at risk and that it could be weeks or even months before authorities have a final tally of the infections, due to the disease’s long incubation period.