10/10/12 - Federal officials say Michigan now has at least 25 cases of fungal meningitis, including a new third death. The number reported Tuesday is up from 21 cases. Four clinics in Michigan, including one in Livingston County, received steroids that have been recalled by a Massachusetts pharmacy because of contamination. A Howell Township man whose wife's death was linked to meningitis says it should be a "wake-up call" that such mistakes shouldn't happen in the U.S. George Cary made the comments after a memorial service for 67-year-old Lilian Carey. (George Cary is at left in photo, with his daughters Heather Andrus, 33, center, of Howell and Jill Bloser, 43, at right, of Charleston, S.C.) Lilian Cary died Sept. 30 after failing to recover from a stroke. She was diagnosed with meningitis after being treated with steroids for back pain at Michigan Pain Specialists in Brighton. Her husband received similar injections from possibly tainted steroids and is awaiting test results. The latest victim reported on Tuesday was a 78-year-old Washtenaw County woman. The third death in Michigan was that of a 56-year-old Genesee County woman. No other details were released about those victims. However, itâs believed that one of the other two deaths is related to steroids received from the Brighton clinic. Michigan Pain Specialists said it treated about 875 people with the now-recalled product between Aug. 7 and Oct. 2. It has told patients to go to the emergency room at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ypsilanti if they have symptoms, such as fever, stiff neck or a new headache. The Michigan Department of Community Health says that, so far, 25 fungal meningitis victims have been identified in Michigan, ranging in age from 46 to 89. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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