Brownsville woman battling fungal meningitis infection linked to outbreak in Matamoros clinics
A 31-year-old Brownsville mom is among those hospitalized with fungal meningitis following an outbreak linked to two clinics in Matamoros.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday that an eighth individual died due to the infection health authorities say is linked to cosmetic surgeries performed this year at the River Side Surgical Center" and Clinica K3 in Matamoros.
Seven of the deaths reported have been Texas residents, with two Cameron County residents among those dead.
Juan Tapia said his wife, Cristal, first began experiencing severe headaches. Doctors thought it was just migraines, but a spinal tap done on her third visit to the ER revealed the fungal meningitis diagnosis.
"She's [said] 'babe I can't, I can't move, Like my head hurts, my head hurts,'" Tapia recalled. "And as soon as I got closer I felt heat, like I felt she was burning up."
Symptoms of fungal meningitis include fever, headache, stiff neck, and nausea.