Eyedrops from Ezricare and Delsam Pharma were recalled in February, and heal authorities are continuing to track infections as they investigate the outbreak. Two more deaths and additional cases of vision loss have been linked to the tainted eyedrops with a drug-resistant bacteria.
In the latest government tally, 69 people have been diagnosed with infections from the bacteria, causing three deaths, eight cases of vision loss, and four people have had to go through eye removal surgery.
This outbreal is particuarly worrisome because the bacteria driving it is completely resistant to antibiotics.
The CDC has identified cases in 16 states, including California, New York, Illinois, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Most cases have been linked to four regional clusters and Ezricare’s drops are the onoy product used by patients in each of those groups.
The recalled drops were manufactured by Global Pharma Healthcare in India, where the bacteria – Pseudomona aeruginosa- is commonly linked to outbreaks in hospitals.