Mexico City – A fungal meningitis outbreak in hospitals in the Mexican state of Durango that killed 35 people was allegedly caused by an anaesthesiologist who misused drugs during gynaecological, 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 told 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 anaesthetic Bupivacaine, which was initially recognised as a source of infection in four regional hospitals.
According to Wikipedia, Bupivacaine is a medication used to decrease feeling in a specific area.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the injection is used to numb an area of your body during or after surgery or other procedures, such as childbirth or dental work.
A total of 79 people were infected, 35 of whom died.
The investigation found that the detained anaesthesiologist, 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 federal commission and the inspector, who added false information to the reports on the work of subsequently closed hospitals – were also detained, the prosecutor said.