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Whoops: Florida Gov. Accidentally Issues Sex Hotline Number Instead of Meningitis Call Center

Oct. 10, 2012 4:01pm
Gov. Rick Scott Inadvertently Provides Floridians With Adult Phone Number Instead of Florida Fungal Meningitis Hotline

Florida Gov. Rick Scott accidentally missed a number that would direct callers to a meningitis hotline and sent them to an adult 866 number instead. (Photo: AP/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)

With 137 cases and 12 reported deaths due to rare fugal meningitis, health officials and politicians have been issuing warnings and providing informational resources to communities. Florida Gov. Rick Scott was doing this during a cabinet meeting Wednesday when he slipped on one digit that ended up sending callers to an adult hotline, instead of the health department.

WUSF news reports that it posted the 866 number that was supposed to lead to the state’s toll-free, 24-hour hotline established for the meningitis outbreak and were quickly notified by readers that there had been a mistake.

“Hello boys, thank you for calling me on my anniversary,” WUSF reports of the wrong number’s recording. You can hear the recording from this local news station (via Huffington Post).

Contacting the governor’s office, the station was informed Scott had misspoken. A spokesperson for the governor said it was an inadvertent mistake and that the correct number for the Florida Fungal Meningitis Hotline (866-523-7339) was given out at the same meeting.

Gov. Rick Scott Inadvertently Provides Floridians With Adult Phone Number Instead of Florida Fungal Meningitis Hotline

A vial of injectable steroids from the New England Compounding Center is displayed in the Tennessee Department of Health. (Photo: AP/Kristin M. Hall)

Tampa Bay Online reports there being six cases of the deadly form of meningitis in Florida within Marion County.

New Jersey was the 10th state to report at least one illness Tuesday. The other states involved in the outbreak are Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina and Ohio.

Officials have tied the outbreak to steroid shots for back pain. The steroid was made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts. At least one contaminated vial was found at the company.

This form of meningitis not be spread from person to person, according to the CDC, but those who may have received back or join injections of the New England Compounding Center’s methylprednisolne acetate since May 21, 2012,  could be at risk.

Gov. Rick Scott Inadvertently Provides Floridians With Adult Phone Number Instead of Florida Fungal Meningitis Hotline

A sign on the door to the New England Compounding Center requests no soliciting at the Framingham, Mass. company that made the steroid linked the fungal meningitis cases. (Photo: AP/Bob Salsberg)

The company recalled the steroid that was sent to clinics in 23 states, and later recalled everything it makes. NECC’s recall of all its products was voluntary.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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