CDC warns of rapid spread of lethal Candida auris fungus in US healthcare facilities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungus, an "urgent threat" after a new study showed it has been spreading at an "alarming rate" throughout health care facilities. Cases of C. auris, which is resistant to several antifungal medications, have increased each year since it was first reported in 2016. The rapid rise and geographic spread of cases is concerning and emphasizes the need for continued surveillance, expanded lab capacity, quicker diagnostic tests, and adherence to proven infection prevention and control.