There are 18 deaths from meningitis

The presumed cause of the outbreak of meningitis in 68 patients in Durango, of whom 18 have died, was due to a fungus and an anesthesia procedure applied by means of a needle to the spinal cord, commonly known as the rachia, said the federal Undersecretary of Health Hugo Lopez-Gatell.

The investigation is oriented, explained López-Gatell, to find out what could be the practice errors that affected the patients.

Meningitis is an infectious disease that inflames the coverings of the brain and spinal cord.

“We already found the cause; we found an infectious agent, we found a microscopic fungus called fusarium solani, which is the presumed cause of this meningitis,” she declared during a press conference.

Similarly, it was reported that to date a total of 1,482 people who underwent said procedure since last May have been identified. These patients are followed up by telephone, in outpatient clinics and with laboratory studies for timely detection and early treatment.

The federal official announced that it is likely that there will be more deaths from this disease, which depends on the timing of care. Likewise, he indicated that one of the priorities is the early start of adequate treatment to avoid sequelae and deaths, and provide early care for patients who received epidural anesthesia.

lots of medicines

For his part, Alejandro Svarch Pérez, head of the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) explained that the investigations carried out by this body are based on determining whether it is a problem with a batch of medicine, storage or application.

Eight batches that are possibly related to this outbreak are being analyzed, he announced that Cofrepris will implement a molecular biology method, to analyze whether or not the problem lies with the manufacture of the drug.

During the press conference, Sonia Yadira de la Garza Fragoso reported that 40 investigative folders have already been initiated, one of them, from the state Health Secretariat against whomever is responsible.

It was also reported that verification visits were carried out in the four related hospitals, which are already closed, due to the fact that serious flaws were found that warranted their closure.

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