Lawmakers call on CDC to take action over potentially deadly fungus at health care facilities
Lawmakers are calling on federal health officials to declare a public health emergency about a potentially deadly fungus spreading at health care facilities in New Jersey and New York, among other states.
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May 6, 2019, 11:48 AM
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Updated 2,061 days ago
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Lawmakers are calling on federal health officials to declare a public health emergency about a potentially deadly fungus spreading at health care facilities in New Jersey and New York, among other states.
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to take action over the candida auris fungus.
According to the CDC, there have been 613 reported cases of the fungus.
The CDC says more than half were reported in the New York City area, and 106 in New Jersey.
The fungus is resistant to many drugs and can live in hospitals for an unknown period of time.
It can remain active in a patient for a long time, which can result in it spreading in the hospitals.
The CDC calls it a "serious global health threat."
More information can be found on the CDC’s website.
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