Current:Home > My2 dead, over 200 at risk of suspected meningitis after surgeries in Mexico, CDC says-LoTradeCoin
2 dead, over 200 at risk of suspected meningitis after surgeries in Mexico, CDC says
View Date:2024-12-23 18:55:43
Brownsville, Texas — Federal officials say more than 200 patients could be at risk of fungal meningitis after having surgical procedures at clinics in a Mexico border city.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday it is collaborating with the Mexican Ministry of Health and U.S. state and local health departments to respond to the outbreak among patients who traveled to Matamoros, across the border from Brownsville, Texas.
Officials have identified and closed two clinics linked to the outbreak, River Side Surgical Center and Clinica K-3.
The Mexican Ministry of Health sent the CDC a list of 221 U.S. patients who might be at risk for meningitis based on their recorded surgical procedures at either clinic from January to May 13. Three additional patients not on the list have also been identified, bringing the total of people in the United States known to have potential exposure to 224, the CDC said.
The CDC is working with more than two dozen state and local health departments to contact people with potential exposure and urge them to go to their nearest medical facility for testing. Meningitis testing includes an MRI and a lumbar puncture, also called a spinal tap.
Last week, the CDC issued a warning to U.S. residents to cancel surgeries in Matamoros, saying five people from Texas who had procedures there developed suspected cases of fungal meningitis. One of them died. A second person with a suspected case has also died, the CDC said Wednesday.
Meningitis is the swelling of the protective covering of the brain and spinal cord and should be treated urgently. Symptoms include fever, headache, a stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, confusion and sensitivity to light. Cases of meningitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, trauma or fungi.
Patients in the Texas cases started showing symptoms three days to six weeks after surgery in Matamoros.
People leaving the U.S. for prescription drugs, dental procedures, surgeries and other medical treatment - also known as medical tourism - is common, experts say. Mexico, Canada, India and Thailand are all popular destinations.
- In:
- Mexico
- Meningitis
veryGood! (55)
Related
- Jimmy Kimmel, more late-night hosts 'shocked' by Trump Cabinet picks: 'Goblins and weirdos'
- Northern lights may be visible in 17 states: Where to see forecasted auroras in the US
- Abortions are down under Florida’s 6-week ban but not by as much as in other states, study says
- Rangers prospect Kumar Rocker to make history as first MLB player of Indian descent
- Kennesaw State football coach Brian Bohannon steps down after 10 seasons amid first year in FBS
- 1-Day Deal: Get 50% Off NFL Hoodie & Shirt Set—Chiefs, 49ers, Lions, Ravens & More
- University of Mississippi official and her husband are indicted on animal cruelty charges
- A man accused of trying to set former co-workers on fire is charged with assault
- Review: 'Emilia Pérez' is the most wildly original film you'll see in 2024
- Authorities find no smoking gun in Nassar records held by Michigan State University
Ranking
- Shaun White Reveals How He and Fiancée Nina Dobrev Overcome Struggles in Their Relationship
- WNBA players deserve better, from fans and their commissioner
- North Carolina’s public universities cut 59 positions as part of a massive DEI overhaul this summer
- A man accused of trying to set former co-workers on fire is charged with assault
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery
- The Latest: With the debate behind them, Harris and Trump jockey for swing states
- Jon Bon Jovi Talks Woman Off Ledge of Bridge in Nashville, Police Say
- Madison LeCroy Says Your Makeup Will Last Until Dawn With This Setting Spray, Even if You Jump in a Lake
Recommendation
-
Horoscopes Today, November 11, 2024
-
Michigan leaders join national bipartisan effort to push back against attacks on the election system
-
Share of foreign-born in the U.S. at highest rate in more than a century, says survey
-
Linkin Park's new singer Emily Armstrong explodes in Los Angeles concert tour kickoff
-
32-year-old Maryland woman dies after golf cart accident
-
DWTS Alum Lindsay Arnold Speaks Out on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives as a Mormon Herself
-
Brutally honest reviews of every VMAs performer, including Chappell Roan and Katy Perry
-
Who plays on Thursday Night Football? Breaking down Week 2 matchup