Death Toll Climbs as Meningitis Outbreak Spreads

Another person has died in a meningitis outbreak that continues to spread, and officials say they expect it to get worse.  The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention revealed Thursday that the tainted steroids believed to be responsible for the outbreak were delivered to 75 facilities in 23 states.

FOX News Radio’s Eben Brown has more:

Five people are dead from this very rare strain of fungal meningitis that’s now being linked to medicine used to treat severe back pain.  It’s a steroid injection coming from a pharmaceutical company in Massachusetts.  Dr. Ilisa Bernstein is with the CDC…

(Dr. Bernstein) “As of yesterday, New England Compounding Center has voluntarily shut down all operations.”

The pharmacy is also recalling the drug.  Health officials say the infection is not contagious between humans, and is treatable.  But they’re certain more cases will appear in the coming days.

Eben Brown, FOX News Radio.