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Investigators Try To Trace The Trail Of Deadly Bacteria At Cosmetic Surgery Center

TIMONIUM, Md. (WJZ) -- The investigation into deadly bacteria at a local cosmetic surgery center is expanding. One woman died and others were sickened after procedures at Monarch Medspa.

Kai Jackson has the latest from health officials.

As the family of a victim in Maryland demands changes, investigators are trying to trace the trail of the bacterial infection.

Pennsylvania-based Monarch Medspa is at the center of an expanding investigation. It follows the death of a Maryland nurse after a procedure at the Timonium facility and two other patients, all of whom investigators say contracted infections at Monarch Medspa centers. The Baltimore County Health Department shut down the Timonium medspa.

"We need to stop everything, try to figure out what the origins of it is," said Baltimore County Health Inspector Dr. Gregory Branch.

The Maryland State Health Department in Maryland confirms it is working with Pennsylvania and Delaware health departments in the Monarch Medspa investigation.

State health officials say last week, a 59-year-old Lochearn nurse died from a severe strep infection days after having liposuction at the Timonium facility. Doctors and nurses working in the facilities must be board-certified but the centers themselves are not required to be licensed.

"Restaurants have to go through that. Why shouldn't places that are doing more invasive procedures have to go through that?" said plastic surgeon Dr. Timothy Greco.

Monarch has five locations in three states. The company's website says it performs 50,000 procedures a year.

The brother of the victim is demanding regulatory oversight.

"This is terrible. This is awful. This is horrific and something has to be done to stop this from happening," he said.

Monarch patients are being warned to look for signs of infection.

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