Hundreds at risk for meningitis after surgeries in Mexico, US authorities report

• More patients may have been exposed to fungal meningitis in Mexico.
• US authorities say more than 200 patients could be at risk.
• They had surgery in Matamoros, Mexico.

United States authorities have announced that hundreds of patients are at risk of contracting fungal meningitis. Those affected could develop the disease after undergoing surgery in a border city.

According to The Associated Press, US authorities believe that over 200 people could have been exposed to the terrible disease. Together with Mexican authorities, they have issued a warning.

Hundreds at risk of meningitis after surgeries in Mexico

On Wednesday, May 24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated that they are working together with the Mexican Ministry of Health and state and local health departments in the United States to respond to the outbreak among patients who traveled to Matamoros, Mexico.

So far, two deaths have been reported after patients contracted the disease following operations in Mexico. Meanwhile, it has been reported that two clinics associated with the outbreak have been identified and closed: River Side Surgical Center and Clinica K-3.

Authorities are contacting patients who are at risk

The Mexican Ministry of Health sent the CDC a list of 221 American patients who could be at risk of developing fungal meningitis disease given their history of interventions in these clinics between January and May 13 of this year.

The CDC noted that after the initial count of 221 US patients from the closed clinics, three more were identified who were not on the list. The number has risen to a total of 224 people in the United States who could develop meningitis.

People are warned to cancel surgery appointments in Mexico

Just last week, the CDC issued an alert warning US residents to cancel surgeries in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. They noted that five people from Texas had undergone surgeries in Mexico and developed possible cases of fungal meningitis.

Two people have died so far, according to the The Associated Press. The patients identified in Texas began showing symptoms between three days and six weeks after their operations in Matamoros.