No Way to Predict if More Cases of Meningitis Will Pop Up in Bibb County

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The number of people infected by the fungal meningitis outbreak linked to tainted steroids is growing by the day, and one local health official says, he’s not surprised there’s now a case in our area.

Director of the North Central Health District, Dr. David Harvey says there’s no way to predict whether or not more cases will pop up in Bibb County.

The case count nation wide is now up to 317 people, and 24 deaths.

According to the Associated Press, Massachusetts officials say they found unclean conditions, and visible black specks of fungus in steroids made by the New England Compounding Center, the pharmacy linked to the deadly outbreak.

Dr. Harvey says 184 patients were exposed to the tainted batch in our area, and they should see a doctor immediately if they notice any symptoms.

“We know that we need to keep watching. We heard up to some people say up to eight weeks, some have said as long as 12 weeks because fungus, fungi don’t grow as well as bacteria,” says Dr. Harvey.

According to their website, the Federal Drug Administration has issued a recall on all drugs produced by the company since May 2012. That includes an ophthalmic drug used to treat patients who’ve had eye surgery.

Dr. Harvey says there is no way to predict if any other disease outbreaks could happen as a result of other possible tainted drugs.