Minn. Clinic Works 24/7 To Contact Exposed Patients
MINNEAPOLIS (WCC) -- As the number of sick people with fungal meningitis increase to 119 and the number of deaths rise to 11, one clinic is working around the clock to get a hold of patients.
Medical Advanced Pain Specialists' (MAPS) business development and marketing director, Christiaan Engstrom says they've reached out to every person who was exposed to the contaminated injections.
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"This is a joint effort between MAPS, the Minnesota Department of Health, the CDC, and I believe the FDA is also making phone calls to get in touch with people," Engstrom said.
The health department says patients at MAPS in Edina, Maple Grove, Shakopee and Fridley may have received contaminated steroid injections. Also at risk are patients of the Minnesota Surgery Center in Edina and Maple Grove.
The health department says a total of 831 Minnesotans were exposed and three cases of the fungus were confirmed. The three people exposed are all women in their 40s.
Since the outbreak, MAPS has been flooded with phone calls from concerned patients. They've set up a hotline that's staffed throughout the day.
"We are getting many phone calls from patients who have been affected by the recall and patients who want general information," Engstrom said.
The health department said Tuesday afternoon that about 30 of the 831 who were exposed have not returned messages that were left.
