SAN DIEGO — A flesh-eating bacteria linked to the use of black tar heroin has killed at least seven people over the past two months in San Diego County, authorities said.

Nine people who injected black tar heroin between Oct. 2 and Nov. 24 were hospitalized with severe myonecrosis, a soft-tissue infection that destroys muscle, county health officials said Wednesday.

Of the seven who died, five were men. The nine patients ranged from 19 to 57.

Investigators are trying to determine the source of the heroin.

Officials have advised the local medical community to watch for additional cases of myonecrosis and wound botulism, a rare but serious illness that attacks the body’s nerves and is also linked to black tar heroin use.

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