Michigan Fungal Outbreak: Officials Record First Death From Nearly 100 Potential Cases

Michigan records first death related to fungal outbreak thought to be one of largest in U.S. history
The single fatality comes amid nearly 100 suspected or confirmed cases amid the outbreak
Officials noted that there were roughly 12 people who were brought to the hospital after being infected by the fungus

Michigan officials recorded the state's first death related to a fungal outbreak that has already resulted in nearly 100 potential cases in what could be one of the largest crises of its kind in the history of the United States.

The fatality, whose identity has not yet been revealed, was known to be a contractor at the mill where the recent cases are believed to have originated from and were found to have died from blastomycosis.

Michigan Fungal Outbreak Causes First Death

There were roughly a dozen people who were brought to the hospital after being infected by the fungus, and officials said there are about 100 suspected or confirmed cases. The authorities who confirmed the first death also said they were "deeply saddened" by the development and shared their "heartfelt sympathies" with the victim's family, as per the Daily Mail.

On Thursday, Billerud, the one that runs the paper mill located in Escanaba that is believed to be the outbreak's origin, said that it would close the plant temporarily for three weeks. The decision came nearly a month after the beginning of the health crisis and was made to give officials a chance to conduct deep-cleaning of the area.

The Swedish company added that the temporary closure of the mill was a "precautionary measure." Employees who worked at the site said in interviews that infections from the outbreak continued as the plant remained open, and officials have yet to determine the exact cause of the crisis.

A health officer at the local health department, Michael Snyder, was one of the officials who reached out to the deceased's family. The vice president of the mill under Billerud Operations, Brian Peterson, said that the news deeply saddened everyone at the company.

Unknown Origin of the Disease

Now, federal investigators are preparing to step up their investigations of the origin of the fungal outbreak. The Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties released a recent tally that said there were 21 confirmed cases and 76 others were deemed to be "probable," according to CBS News.

The fatality comes as authorities reported that blastomycosis cases have sporadically popped up across North America, from the Midwest to the Southeast. There are now a total of 240 reported cases that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received in 2019.

The CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) sent investigators who first visited the plant last month to investigate the incident. The team is planning to return to the site from Apr. 20 through Apr. 29, said an agency spokesperson.

The illness is caused by a fungus capable of growing in moist soil and decomposing wood and leaves. The Delta County, public health department, said blastomycosis could not pass from person to person. Officials said that common symptoms of the infection include cough, fever, shortness of breath, joint pain, and weight loss, said Fox News.