Fungal meningitis cases continue to climb, more local patients notified

Fungal meningitis infections and fatalities across the country continued to climb today, as doctors at a local clinic notified more patients treated by spinal injection with a possibly-tainted steroid linked to the outbreak.

The number of area patients potentially affected by the situation grew to 257 today, up from 189 Friday. Intervene MD physicians had contacted 246 of them and enlisted the help of the state health department in an effort to reach the others, clinic spokeswoman Cheryl Smithem said.

“The good news is that the doctors have been able to speak with people and answer their concerns,” she said.

So far, 119 cases of the rare infection have been reported in 10 states, none in South Carolina. Eleven of the patients have died. Today’s count added 14 more infected people and three more fatalities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

Intervene MD of Mount Pleasant is the only South Carolina clinic on the CDC list of 76 healthcare facilities that received the potentially-contaminated steroid methylprednisolone acetate made at New England Compounding Center. The drug, injected into the spine for pain relief, has been recalled.

Read more in tomorrow’s print edition.