The number of Tennessee cases of infections from tainted spinal steroids has jumped by four to a total of 88 cases, according to data compiled by the state Health Department.
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Health Department spokesman Woody McMillin said Monday that the number of deaths from the fungal meningitis outbreak remains at 13. He said the number of infections climbed from 84 to 86 on Nov. 28 and jumped to 88 over the weekend.
The CDC reported Monday that the number of infections nationwide jumped from 510 early last week to 541 and the number of deaths remained at 36.
Also Monday, the CDC announced it found microbial contamination in three more medicines distributed by New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Mass., the pharmacy blamed for the outbreak. They were the anti-inflammatory steroids triamcinolone and betamethasone, and cardioplegia, which paralyzes the heart for surgery. In a media release, the CDC said it was unclear how the tainted medicines would affect patients.
All New England Compounding Center medicines have been recalled.
Michigan continues to show the most cases at 198, a 20 case increase over a week ago. That state has reported 10 deaths. Other states reporting increases include New Jersey, which jumped from 34 to 38 and Indiana, which went from 57 to 59 cases. Ohio increased by one, going to 19 cases.
The outbreak has been blamed by state and federal health officials on fungus-tainted methylprednislone acetate injected into the spines of patients with severe back and neck pain.
Meanwhile three new lawsuits have been filed against New England Compounding in Davidson Circuit Court by victims and their families. Now 17 have been filed there, though five have been transferred to U.S. District Court. Nationwide, some 80 cases have been filed in federal court alone.
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