Mexico: Durango reports 41st fungal meningitis death in outbreak

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Source: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/health/d...eath-outbreak/

Durango reports 10th meningitis death in outbreak
Most victims were new mothers who may have received contaminated anesthetic during labor
Published on Thursday, November 24, 2022

A mysterious outbreak of meningitis has now claimed the lives of nine women and one man in the northern state of Durango.

The state Health Ministry reported Wednesday that 61 cases of the infection had been confirmed and that 10 people had died. The infections, which have been identified as fungal meningitis, were all detected in Durango city...

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Source: https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/salu...la-enfermedad/

Aseptic meningitis: These symptoms indicate a serious picture of the disease
In October, the Durango Ministry of Health confirmed the first case of aseptic meningitis.

By WritingNovember 25, 2022 | 2:21 a.m.

Despite the efforts and investigations, the still unknown disease "aseptic meningitis" continues adding victims to the list and mourning Durango families; the deaths already accumulate a dozen.

The enigma of the disease has drawn attention and solidarity among scientists around the world, who are working to find answers and a cure for "aseptic meningitis".

Last Monday, November 14, the Ministry of Health updated the number of positive patients, reaching 46 cases, as well as five deaths...

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Source: https://www.animalpolitico.com/2022/...o-traramiento/

Source: https://www.animalpolitico.com/2022/...o-traramiento/


There are 10 deaths from meningitis in Durango due to alleged irregular treatment; women with obstetric surgery, main victims
Health authorities have not given explanations about the cause of the problem, registered in Durango and with a total of 61 cases. Among the hypotheses that are analyzed is the use of an apocryphal medication or needles in poor condition.

By
Marcela Christmas Eve
November 24, 2022
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The cases of meningitis in Durango are increasing and affecting to a greater extent women who had obstetric surgery, while the authorities still do not give an accurate explanation of the origin of the outbreak. At noon this Wednesday, the State Health Secretariat reported that so far 61 cases and 10 deaths have been recorded.

According to specialists, the hypotheses point to contamination in medication or needles. The Pisa pharmaceutical company asked to prevent the use of four batches of the anesthetic Bupivacaine, which correspond to more than a million and a half vials, in a preventive manner. The common factor among women diagnosed with meningitis is having received neuraxial anesthesia, known as spinal anesthesia.

"As a preventive measure during the course of the investigation, Cofepris calls on warehouses, hospitals, surgical units, distributors, warehouses of public and private health agencies and/or institutions that distribute medicines, as well as points of sale in the entities of the country to a quarantine and preventive isolation of batches B22M142, B22A263, B22E872 of heavy Bupivacaine and batch B20J500 of Bupivacaine, while the investigation of the root cause of the problem is carried out and concluded," says the information. issued by Pisa.

According to the doctor and researcher Alejandro Macías, who has followed up on the cases, it is unlikely that the original drug was contaminated since there are thousands of doses distributed in various countries and this would have already caused a larger outbreak —and so far only It has been presented in the city of Durango-, so the other possibility is that it is a question of light bulbs produced in an apocryphal way.

From his perspective, the contamination of all the original batches would have meant that hundreds of thousands of people were already infected, so there is not enough evidence so far that this is the reason. However, he believes that the health authority is right to prevent batches from being used until there is confirmation.

An official letter dated November 7, signed by Moisés Nájera Torres, commissioner for the Protection against Sanitary Risks of the state of Durango, requests "urgently" to refrain from using the drugs bupivacaine heavy batch no. B22M142 and B22E872, "this due to the adverse reactions presented".

“In the Santé Hospital, the operating rooms are closed because they have two registered patients with this problem that we have of aseptic meningitis. As our function is risk prevention, it has to be done. They referred to our reception centers, Hospital 450 and one of them to ISSSTE. The medication was immediately secured in all private hospitals until it was determined at our national level, which is Cofepris, if the medication was contaminated or not," Nájera Torres told the media when the first measures were taken.

On November 15, the federal Ministry of Health reported that a commission of experts from different areas of the agency works in coordination with local authorities to determine the causes, as well as to supervise medical care. According to the federal government, the Health Sector Operational Command, made up of various agencies, has implemented comprehensive actions for medical care, mental health, health regulation, and pharmacovigilance.

Until then, 95% of the cases corresponded to women who underwent obstetric surgical procedures. All cases had a history of having received a neuraxial block. The patients, who had mostly been treated in private hospitals, were later treated at the General Hospital 450 of the State Health Secretariat and at the General Hospital of Zone 1 of the IMSS.

According to what was reported by the federal authorities, samples of cerebrospinal fluid and isolates from patients with skin conditions who were given drugs against fungi were sent to the Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference Institute (InDRE), which maintains communication with staff from the State Laboratory of Public Health (LESP) of Durango.

On the other hand, they assured that Cofepris verifies private health establishments and carries out pharmacovigilance, laboratory analysis and traceability of medicines and supplies. All of this resulted in the suspension of activities at a private hospital and two operating rooms at another for "critical irregularities." The samples are still being analyzed to determine the causes, so there is still no certainty about the causes.

How does aseptic meningitis manifest?

"Days after my sister's death, pain feels normal, courage increases," Alejandra Rojas shared on her social media. Maleny died after being hospitalized for 16 days at Hospital 450, after having a cesarean section on August 21 at the Del Parque private hospital, according to her sister's account.

Four days after the cesarean section, she began with symptoms of meningitis, which she was not diagnosed with at first. Later, already at Hospital 450, she was administered the indicated medicine when the doctors discovered that it was a fungus. Alejandra denounces that, when the medicine finished, she went without it for two days and, although it was later administered again, she died.

On November 21, her son turned three months old. “What was joy for us for having my nephew turned into pain for losing my sister because of a murderous hand that stole her life, because of a hospital that did not take care of her health, because of a system corrupt and inept health My nephews are not alone and they will not be, but they do not have her mother and they are going to need her all her life, ”Alejandra shared.

Specialists warn that the problem persists and more cases will be found every day, because it can take several weeks to develop symptoms. However, at this time, intense, intractable headaches with a history of neuraxial anesthesia are warning signs, mainly in private hospitals in Durango, although at least one case has already been reported in a public hospital.

"Despite adequate treatment with the antifungals liposomal amphotericin and voriconazole, mortality is and will be high because meningitis is a very serious disease," says specialist Isaac Chávez Díaz. He explains that the case of the needle hypothesis is difficult to corroborate, but it could be those that are intended for single use, which are subjected to conventional resterilization processes, without the process being appropriate or successful.

Meningitis is a disease in which the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord become inflamed. Viral or aseptic meningitis, the most common, is caused by infection with one or more types of viruses. The cases detected in Durango have been caused by a fungus. Its incubation is relatively slow.

The majority of cases focused on patients who underwent obstetric surgical processes is due to the fact that the drug enters directly into the central nervous system, so there is no defense. In most cases it is about cesarean sections and the concentration is in private hospitals in Durango. If a very strong headache or back pain is detected after this procedure, it is necessary to see a doctor immediately, specialists recommend.

According to the medical personnel who have monitored the cases of meningitis, national coordination is necessary to channel sufficient resources to Durango through health institutions, as well as to study and discover the true cause. "It's not a 100-meter race, it's a marathon," says Macías.

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Source: https://www.milenio.com/estados/meni...nta-13-muertes

Increase to 13 deaths from aseptic meningitis in Durango
This Saturday another death of a woman from meningitis was reported, the cases remain at 66.
Gilberto Lastra
Durango / 26.11.2022 14:00:00

A 27-year-old woman died of aseptic fungal meningitis in Durango. With this death there are 13 accumulated deaths, the cases remain at 66.

With regard to investigations, in order to establish responsibilities in the cases of patients diagnosed with meningitis in Durango, the State Attorney General's Office needs and requires the chemical results of federal authorities such as Cofepris, where it determines if the medicine, the surface or the instruments for carrying out the surgical procedures were contaminated, stated the prosecutor in Durango, Sonia Yadira de la Garza Fragoso....

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Source: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...ak/ar-AA14LGPr

18 women die this month in Mexico due to meningitis outbreak
Story by Daniel Stewart • 5h ago

Mexican authorities have updated the death toll from the meningitis outbreak reported in the province of Durango, which has risen to 18 dead women.

On Wednesday, a 19-year-old woman who was in intensive care for meningitis caused by a fungus died.

The Secretary of Health, Irasema Kondo, has indicated that the current cases are 68, while she has pointed out that the people who may be at risk are 1,400....

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Source: https://www.heraldoleon.mx/investiga...-en-el-estado/

They investigate possible cases of meningitis in the state (Leon)
December 2, 2022

Given the health alert in the country, the state of Guanajuato has between 9 and 10 suspected cases that will require investigation as possible acute meningitis.

This was announced by the Secretary of Health of Guanajuato, Daniel Alberto Díaz Martínez, who reported that the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) atypically reported cases of facial paralysis that they do not know if they have any relationship with this disease.

Without much detailed information, the secretary acknowledged that they, as the Ministry of Health and all health sectors, have been on permanent Alert for a month...

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Source: https://www.jornada.com.mx/notas/202...pt=articlelink

2022-12-02 07:32
Another woman died of meningitis in Durango; the number rises to 19
Ángeles Cruz, sent, and Saúl Maldonado, correspondent Reading time: 2 min.
Daniela, 21 years old, died yesterday from aseptic meningitis; she is the nineteenth victim of this condition. Three weeks ago she entered intensive care at the General Hospital 450, dependent on the Ministry of Health of Durango.


Durango, Dgo. Daniela, 21 years old, died yesterday from aseptic meningitis; she is the nineteenth victim of this condition. Three weeks ago she entered intensive care at the General Hospital 450, dependent on the Durango Health Secretariat (SSD).

From Saturday night to this Thursday six women perished. The number of positive patients has remained at 68, but mortality has grown 28 percent.

In this context, the SSD Maternal-Children's Hospital, located in the state capital, finds itself with a workload 40 percent above normal since the health emergency due to aseptic meningitis began, reported its director, Javier Fernando Loera Ramirez.

The official acknowledged that the urgency to address meningitis infections caused the increase in November, when the cases of this disease were revealed, which causes inflammation of the lining of the brain, known as the meninges.

He explained that last month the demand for tocosurgery services increased and by the second week that area had already been saturated.

Although he said he did not know the reason for this increase, he did not rule out that it is partly due to the mistrust of many families to receive care in private hospitals.

Regarding the capacity of the Maternal and Child Hospital, he said that the occupation is between 95 and 100 percent; sometimes it goes to the top and then goes down, but the tocosurgery area is full.
Increase workload

Regarding the staff, he clarified that he has enough nurses, specialists in the delivery area, gynecologists and pediatricians.

Since the suspension of surgeries in private hospitals due to cases of meningitis was announced on November 3, the workload at the Maternal-Children's Hospital began to rise.

In mid-November, the SSD authorized private hospitals, with the exception of the four closed ones in which the first infections were detected, to perform surgeries again.

Until yesterday, 17 women had died from aseptic meningitis, the majority months after giving birth (16) and one after gallbladder surgery, as well as a man who underwent surgery for a fractured tibia and fibula.

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Source: https://www.milenio.com/ciencia-y-sa...timas-noticias

Two more deaths from aseptic meningitis in Durango; there are 21 deaths
State authorities announced that symptoms can occur from one day after surgery to three months apart.
digital millennium
Durango. / 03.12.2022 12:30:00

During the early hours of this Saturday, two deaths of women were registered due to meningitis due to fusarium fungus in Durango, both were receiving medical attention at Hospital 450.

The patients who lost their lives are Brenda, 37 years old, as well as Vanesa, 24, the deaths are 20 and 21, respectively. In the case of the first death, it occurred in the early hours of this Saturday. The second at approximately 7:00 a.m., according to official information...

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Source: https://www.milenio.com/salud/mening...ntagiado-hongo

They confirm the first case of a child with meningitis in Durango
The minor is receiving medical care at Hospital 450.
Gilberto Lastra
Durango, Durango / 05.12.2022 12:23:55

Juan Carlos Tinoco, an infectologist in Durango, confirmed the first case of a boy of approximately 7 years of age, infected with fungal meningitis and who is receiving medical attention at Hospital 450.

He announced that the minor is under the surveillance of an infectious disease specialist who will carry out the treatment and assess his evolution. In addition, he explained that the doses of the medicine are based on the child's weight, because it is the same as that used by adults, but in the amount required for their physical size.

. “The patient is receiving treatment at the Maternal and Child Hospital, this is an adult hospital. And there is a specialist in infectious disease, in charge of treatment. The medicines that we are using here have already been sent since yesterday and it is treated with the appropriate doses for the weight of the child”. ..

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Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International...break-94513606

Private hospitals blamed in Mexico for meningitis outbreak
Prosecutors in northern Mexico have blamed private hospitals for contaminated anesthetics that caused a meningitis outbreak that has killed 22 people and sickened at least 71
ByThe Associated Press
December 5, 2022, 4:23 PM

MEXICO CITY -- Prosecutors in northern Mexico blamed private hospitals Monday for contaminated anesthetics that caused a meningitis outbreak that has killed 22 people and sickened at least 71.

Prosecutors in northern Durango state said they have issued seven arrest warrants against the owners or directors of four private hospitals where the outbreak occurred starting in November.

The warrants charged them with homicide and causing injuries. The office said that tests on a vial of the anesthetic used in the hospitals found no sign of the fungus that caused the outbreak.

Almost all of those infected were women undergoing obstetric procedures. All the patients received a type of anesthesia known as a spinal block. The shots were later confirmed to be contaminated with a fungus...

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Source: https://eltiempolatino.com/2022/12/0...se-incrementa/

Meningitis in Durango brings the number of deaths to 23
by Writing December 6, 2022

According to the Durango Health Secretariat, the institution has identified more cases than those officially reported on November 30. Therefore, they warned that the symptoms can appear up to three months after contamination with the fungus. In the most recent figures released by the entity, 71 infections and 23 deaths from meningitis are recorded in Durango...

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Source: https://www.paho.org/en/documents/te...-origin-mexico

echnical Note: Meningitis of unknown origin Mexico

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On November 4, 2022, the Mexico IHR National Focal Point (NFP) informed the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) about the detection of a cluster of 11 cases of aseptic meningitis of unknown etiology, including one death, all with a history of having undergone surgical procedures with the administration of epidural anesthesia in private hospitals in the city of Durango, Durango State, Mexico.

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Meningitis has left 41 orphans in Durango: https://www-debate-com-mx.translate...._x_tr_pto=wapp

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Source: https://www.telesurtv.net/news/ascie...1216-0005.html

Deaths from meningitis rise to 25 in Mexico
Posted December 16, 2022 (3 hours 8 minutes ago)
Initial cases underwent surgical procedures under anesthesia at four private hospitals in Durango.

With the death of two women on Thursday, the number of victims of aseptic meningitis in the Mexican state of Durango rises to 25, reported health sources in that country.

Through a press conference, the deputy medical director of the General Hospital 450, Hugo Adolfo Almonte de León, declared that there are already 73 confirmed cases of the disease and that the patients are under specialized supervision.

The confirmed cases correspond to 70 women and three men, under appropriate treatment for their state of health, said Dr. Almonte...

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