Meningitis death toll in Tennessee rises to 9

Saturday, October 20, 2012

photo This undated photo made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a branch of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. The fungus can also cause skin infections if it enters a break in the skin. The meningitis outbreak is linked to the fungus being accidentally injected into people as a contaminant in steroid treatments. It's not clear how the fungus got into the medicine.

NASHVILLE - The death toll from meningitis cases in Tennessee has risen to 9 while state Department of Health officials report 69 total cases across the state.

State health officials on Friday said the meningitis outbreak was tapering off, but left open the possibility of more deaths or new cases. State health officials listed 8 deaths and 66 cases on Friday afternoon. No information on the latest death was immediately released.

The number of cases related to tainted steroid injections nationally was 284 with 23 deaths as of Saturday afternoon.