Tennessee sees 2 new meningitis cases

Friday, October 19, 2012, Vol. 36, No. 42

NASHVILLE (AP) - The number of Tennessee cases of people sickened by a rare fungal meningitis linked to contaminated steroid injections is now 63.

According to the state Health Department, that's an increase of two from Wednesday.

Officials say eight people in Tennessee have died from the disease.

On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it was investigating several other medications produced by the Massachusetts pharmacy that made the suspect steroid.

The Tennessee Health Department said Wednesday that 74 health care facilities here have received shipments of those medications.

Health officials in Tennessee are currently identifying patients who might have received the newly suspect medicines and should begin to contact them early next week.