About 600 California patients were treated with steroid shots from recalled batches of pain medication that have been linked to a national outbreak of meningitis, according to state health officials, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports (AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 10/9).
Details of National Outbreak
The outbreak has been linked to batches of methylprednisolone acetate manufactured by the New England Compounding Center, which federal officials suspect were contaminated with fungus.
As of Tuesday, a total of 119 people in the U.S. were affected by the outbreak and 11 had died (Tavernise, New York Times, 10/9).
Details of California Outbreak
No deaths related to meningitis have been reported in California.
Norma Arceo -- spokesperson for the California Department of Health -- said that health officials are communicating with local health departments to ensure that patients treated with the shot are notified of the risk of meningitis.
Arceo said that the state also is communicating with the four California facilities that received the recalled batches of medication (AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 10/9).
According to CDC, the four facilities are:
- Cypress Surgery Center in Visalia;
- Encino Outpatient Surgical Center;
- Ukiah Valley Medical Center; and
- Universal Pain Management in Palmdale (Larson, Lake County News, 10/9).