Washington state is experiencing its first known outbreak of a potentially deadly fungus, according to public health officials.
Four patients in the last month have tested positive for Candida auris, or C. auris, Public Health – Seattle & King County said in a release.
The first case occurred in a patient who had recently been admitted to Kindred Hospital Seattle, which was identified through a proactive screening program.
Additional screenings found two new cases, as well as a case with links to Kindred, who had originally tested negative for C. auris when first admitted, the health department said.
It’s currently unclear what the initial source of the infection is and officials said the investigation is ongoing.