US meningitis death toll rises to 28

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Twenty-eight people have died from fungal meningitis they contracted after using suspected tainted steroid injections blamed for a growing national outbreak, a United States health monitor said on Tuesday.

Three more deaths were blamed on the disease compared to the previous update issued by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday.

They include two patients in Michigan and a third in Tennessee.

Nationwide, the CDC said the number of reported fungal meningitis cases rose to 356.