Meningitis outbreak toll: 297 cases

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled.

Latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Illnesses: 297, including three joint infections.

Deaths: 23

States: 16; Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

___

Online:

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/outbreaks/meningitis.html