Health Alert: Meningitis

UPDATE 4: (10OCT2012)
WOW this just keeps getting worse.
death toll now up to 12 - sounds like they reclassified the death of a 71 yr old man in July to the meningitis outbreak
cases are over 200


UPDATE 3: (9Oct2012)
New numbers:
(5 deaths reported in TN alone)
8 people dead in four states
• TN 4 (until other death is confirmed)
• MI 2
• MD 1
• VA 1
109 cases in 9 states (see below)
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Symptoms of meningitis:
Fever
Headache
Stiff neck
Nausea
Vomiting
Sensitivity to light
Altered mental status

Seems very much like the flu with the exception of the mental state ...

So if you think you got this shot see a doctor ASAP - the sooner they can get the anti-fungal meds started the more likely you are to survive and recover.

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UPDATE 2:
It sounds like the CDC website knows which clinics got the injections, and those clinics have been ordered to contact the patients who got the shots ... It also does NOT include epiderals given during childbirth - they do not contain any steroids (so it sounds like they are pretty sure it's the steroid that's causing it)
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UPDATED INFO:
The steroid shots were sent to 75 clinics in 23 states (no clinic names yet)
Death toll up to 8 as of 2:22pm CT
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I wasn't going to do a post on this because it originally was so localized - even though there had been deaths - I figured that they would be able to track down those who were possibly effected and get them in ...

After all, it was caused by a steroid shot to the back, surely they would have records or who got those ... It wasn't like they are using steroids without keeping records of it - not when there's been senatorial hearings on steroid use and so many people could be in a sport where it's not allowed ... Right?

Wrong, apparently they have NO IDEA who has gotten this shot ...

And since it is FUNGAL this means only those who go the shot are effected - it can not spread to others - it was PUT THERE by the shot ... ewwww, think of that next time you take your kid in for a booster

But the death rate is up to 7 and they are still only putting out GENERAL WARNINGS to the public

States Effected (91 cases so far)
• MN
• MI
• IN
• OH
• MD
• VA
• TN
• NC
• FL

Michigan, Maryland, Tennessee, and Virginia are the only states to report at least one death ... So far

So if you have had a back shot between July - September, get to the doctor ...

States where shipments went: 23 states)
• CA
• NV
• ID
• MN
• TX
• IL
• TN
• MI
• IN
• FL
• OH
• GA
• NC
• SC
• WV
• VA
• PA
• NH
• NY
• RI
• CT
• NJ
• MD
• DC
• FL

I think that's all of them - it's so hard to tell on the east coast .... I counted 26 on their map, but the reporter said 23 ...