MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th February, 2023) A fungal meningitis outbreak in hospitals in the Mexican state of Durango that has killed 35 people was allegedly caused by an anesthesiologist who misused drugs during gynecological obstetric and prosthetic replacement procedures, Durango State Prosecutor Sonia Yadira de la Garza said on Wednesday.
"This specialist is detained on charges of criminal negligence, that is, negligent homicide, although the charges may be reclassified as premeditated murder during the investigation," Yadira said in an interview with local broadcaster Formula.
The first information about the outbreak appeared in early November, 2022. On November 8, the Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (COFEPRIS) issued an order to seize four batches of the anesthetic Bupivacaine, which was initially recognized as a source of infection in four regional hospitals. A total of 79 people were infected, 35 of whom died.
The investigation found that the detained anesthesiologist, who worked at all four hospitals, was directly linked to the identified cases. It became known that he injected patients with drugs from open ampoules and even arrived at work with pre-filled syringes, combining his drugs with hospital ones.
Two regional officials - the head of the COFEPRIS and the inspector, who added false information into the reports on the work of subsequently closed hospitals - were also detained, the prosecutor added.
