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A "superbug" has been linked to at least 63 deaths across the state, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. KTLA reported that the bug, known as Candida auris (C. auris) has caused at least 744 cases in Nevada hospitals and other care facilities.
C. auris is a fungus that can cause severe illnesses. If it gets into the bloodstream, it can spread throughout the body and cause serious invasive illnesses, even death.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listed C. auris as one of the five "urgent" superbugs that was being monitored in 2019.
C. auris is labeled a superbug because it is hard to kill with existing medication. It is also hard to diagnose because it often affects people who have already been hospitalized for another problem.
The CDC states, "C. auris has caused bloodstream infections, wound infections, and ear infections. It also has been isolated from respiratory and urine specimens, but it is unclear if it causes infections in the lung or bladder. "
The fungus has been detected in 33 facilities across the state, as of November 18th. Out of the 63 Nevada deaths linked to the fungus, 45 were clinical cases, 17 were colonization cases, and one is unknown.