NASHVILLE (AP) - The number of patients in Tennessee sickened by an outbreak of fungal meningitis continues to grow.

The Tennessee Department of Health reported on its website Friday that the number of patients currently stands at 81, up from 80 patients reported on Thursday. The number of deaths from the outbreak remained at 13 statewide.

The outbreak of the non-contagious fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid injections from the Massachusetts-based New England Compounding Center, which recalled the product on Sept. 26.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the period of greatest risk for the development of fungal meningitis is during the first six weeks, or 42 days, after receiving the injection.