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Michigan Reports 14th Death Linked To Steroid Injection

LANSING (WWJ/AP) -  Another person in Michigan has died as a result of tainted steroid shots that caused everything from meningitis to serious fungal infections.

Michigan health officials reported on Thursday that a 14th person with ties to the state has died in a national outbreak.

Angela Minicuci with the State Department of Community Health said the latest Michigan victim is the 87-year-old woman from Washtenaw County.

Minicuci said the 1,900 people in Michigan who received the tainted  steroid shots were contacted last fall, and the department is hearing about new infections from the shots every week.

MDCH reported Michigan's case count associated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention multi-state meningitis investigation is now 233 total cases.

They include 64 meningitis cases. There also are 147 epidural abscesses, one stroke and 20 peripheral joint infections.

Said Minicuci, "Currently we are no longer reporting meningitis cases; we're out of the woods for that incubation period. But we are continuing to find new epidural infections and joint infections associated with the shots."

The contaminated steroids were produced by a Massachusetts pharmacy used in injections for neck or back pain.

More Information:

Michigan Department of Community Health meningitis link
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meningitis outbreak map

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