The death toll in the fungal meningitis outbreak across several states has risen to 24, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said Wednesday.
Indiana reported a third death, the CDC said. There are now 312 cases in 17 states, with most occurring in Michigan, Tennessee, and Ohio.
The outbreak has been traced back to injections of a contaminated steroid medication produced by the New England Compounding Center. An investigation into the Massachusetts-based facility is ongoing.
According to the Indianapolis Star, the most recent casualty was a patient who received an injection to treat chronic back pain.
Approximately 14,000 patients may have received injections of the steroids, the CDC said. Around 97 percent of people who may have received them have been contacted by the agency.
Symptoms of fungal meningitis include a worsening headache, fever, nausea, neck-ache, and others. Symptoms appear around one to four weeks after being infected.
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