Written by Walter F. Roche, Jr., The Tennessean
The number of patients in Tennessee who have been diagnosed with fungal meningitis from a tainted steroid has jumped yet again, going from 61 to 63, according to state health officials.
State Health Department spokesman Woody McMillin said Thursday that there has been no increase in the number of deaths in the state from the outbreak. The total now stands at eight.
"Work continues on all fronts. We expect the seven-day work weeks to continue indefinitely for those in the State Health Operations Center," McMillin said.
The spokesman said the agency was not aware of any patients affected by other tainted drugs that may have come from the Massachusetts drug compounding firm that produced the tainted epidural steroid.