13,000 received suspect steroid shots

As many as 13,000 people received steroid shots suspected in a national meningitis outbreak, health officials said yesterday. It's not clear how many are in danger.

That's partly because health official do not know how many of the shots may have been contaminated with meningitis-causing fungus. The figure includes those who had shots in the back for pain -- who are most at risk -- and those injected in joints like knees and shoulders.

Those injected in joints are not believed at risk for meningitis, said Curtis Allen of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The number of people known sickened in the outbreak reached 105 yesterday. Deaths rose to eight, with another fatality in Tennessee, the CDC said. Tennessee has the most cases, followed by Michigan, Virginia, Indiana, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina and Ohio. A steroid medication made by New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Mass., may be to blame. The firm has recalled all its products. -- AP