CDC warns of invasive bacterial outbreak amid spike in cases and fatality rates

(FOX NEWS) – An invasive bacterial infection is on the rise in the U.S., according to an alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cases of meningococcal disease, mainly caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, reached 422 last year, the highest annual number of cases reported since 2014, the agency stated in the alert.

So far this year, 143 cases have been reported to the CDC (as of March 25), which is 62 more than the number reported at the same time last year.

Get the hottest, most important news stories on the Internet – delivered FREE to your inbox as soon as they break! Take just 30 seconds and sign up for WND’s Email News Alerts!

The invasive strain that is causing most of the cases — serogroup Y ST-1466 — primarily affects adults between ages 30 and 60 (65% of cases), the CDC said in its report. Also affected are Black or African American people (63%) and people with HIV (15%), the CDC said.