CONSTANTINE, Mich. (AP) — A woman from southwestern Michigan's St. Joseph County has been identified as one of 13 state residents killed in a national outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to contaminated steroids.
Mlive.com (http://bit.ly/10TRDWc ) says 87-year-old Viola Copsey of Constantine got a steroid injection in September at a clinic in Elkhart, Ind., as treatment for a back problem. It says she died last Monday at Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers.
Michigan authorities report that as of Wednesday, the state had at least 167 infections linked to the contaminated steroids.
The Michigan Department of Community Health has reported 67 meningitis cases, 91 epidural abscesses, one stroke and eight joint infections.
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Online:
Michigan Department of Community Health meningitis link: http://1.usa.gov/Wom9rn
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meningitis outbreak map: http://1.usa.gov/Qsw1eU
