Deaths rise to 12 in rare meningitis outbreak
At least 119 sickened
Florida recorded its first death connected to the outbreak of a rare, noncontagious form of meningitis, raising the toll Tuesday to a total of 12 fatalities nationwide.
Earlier in the day, federal authorities reported 11 deaths and 119 persons becoming ill in the outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday. Those figures were an increase from Monday's count of eight deaths and 105 illnesses.
Florida health officials also reported a total of six cases connected to the outbreak -- all in Marion County.
That figure -- one more than federal officials have so far counted in Florida -- means that a total of 120 persons nationwide have become ill, according to state officials.
The outbreak is linked to contaminated steroid injections, and as many as 13,000 people may have received the medicine between May 21 and September 24, the CDC said.
The death of a 70-year-old Florida man occurred in July, prior to the discovery of the contamination, the state's health department said.
"Our disease investigation process di
Read more: http://www.wcvb.com/health/Deaths-ri...#ixzz28r4bWCaG
