Idaho on High Alert as ‘Deadly Fungus’ Spreads Across America

Remember that gloomy day in 2020 when everything just kind of 'shut down'? Oh, COVID-19, how we do not miss you.

The world was flipped upside down and while here in Idaho, the 'shutdowns' were not as significant as they were in other places, we all had to adjust to new and temporary norms.

NO, we aren't implying in any way that we're due for another pandemic--but there has been an uptick in a strange 'yeast' or 'fungal' infection that is tough to treat and is resulting in death.

States like Idaho are on high alert.

Take a look at all of the things you need to know about this life-threatening yeast!

Is there a fungus among us?

Experts say that if you're healthy--you likely have nothing to worry about.

To be most accurate about the illness, we want to directly quote the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), below:

Candida auris is a type of yeast that can cause severe illness and spreads easily among patients in healthcare facilities. C. auris can cause a range of infections from superficial (skin) infections to more severe, life-threatening infections, such as bloodstream infections.  C. auris is often resistant to antifungal medications, meaning the fungus develops the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill it.

As you can see from their evaluation of the yeast--those in healthcare facilities are most at risk.

What makes things so scary? The anti-fungal medicines used to treat the yeast are limited in their ability as the yeast is often able to be resistant to treatment. That's never good when dealing with something serious, like a blood infection.

Do you have a loved on in a healthcare facility? It's best to ask their providers about C. auris and make sure that they're screened--even if no symptoms are present.

Learn more from the CDC, HERE.