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Death toll rises to 23 in meningitis outbreak

(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - The death toll is rising as the deadly fungal meningitis claims more lives across the United States.
    
Officials say 23 people have now died as a result of tainted medication from the New England Compounding Center in Framingham. Over the weekend, states reported 13 new cases, raising the total to 285.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that as many as 14,000 people may have been exposed to the tainted drug.

The Framingham lab is now facing several lawsuits, including one civil suit in Massachusetts that seeks to freeze the NECC and its executives' personal assets until the issue is resolved.

STATE CASE COUNT DEATHS
FLORIDA (FL) 17 3
IDAHO (ID) 1 0
ILLINOIS (IL) 1 0
INDIANA (ID) 40 2
MARYLAND (MD) 17 1
MICHIGAN (MI) 62 5
MINNESOTA (MN) 7 0
NEW HAMPSHIRE (NH) 10 0
NEW JERSEY (NJ) 16 0
NEW YORK (NY) 1 0
NORTH CAROLINA (NC) 2 1
OHIO (OH) 11 0
PENNSYLVANIA (PA) 1 0
TENNESSEE (TN) 69 9
TEXAS (TX) 1 0
VIRGINIA (VA) 41 2
TOTALS 297* 23




























*294 cases of fungal meningitis, stroke due to presumed fungal meningitis, or other central nervous system-related infection meeting the outbreak case definition, plus 3 peripheral joint infections (e.g., knee, hip, shoulder, elbow).

No deaths have been associated with peripheral joint infections.

For more information: http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/meningitis-map.html

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Cox Media Group

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