Candida auris: These alarming CDC maps show where the mysterious fungus is spreading

If you flipped through the New York Times over the weekend, you may still be feeling unnerved by a worrisome story about Candida auris, a mysterious fungus that poses a threat to people with weakened immune systems and has been rearing its dangerous head in hospitals around the globe.

The CDC, which recently added C. auris to a list of germs deemed an “urgent threat,” has a wealth of up-to-date tracking data on its website about where the fungus has been reported and how it’s spreading. According to the agency, C. auris can cause severe illness in hospitalized patients, and can remain on surfaces in healthcare settings, which allows it to spread between patients. One of the things that makes it so especially dangerous is that it’s resistant to major anti-fungal medications, according to the Times.

Per the CDC, a total of 587 cases of C. auris have been reported in the United States as of the end of February, with another 30 probable cases reported. As you can see from the map below, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois have seen the most cases by far—with more than 550 cases between them.

Globally, more than two dozen countries have reported either single or multiple cases of Candida auris, affecting every continent accept Antarctica.

The CDC is recommending that laboratories and healthcare facilities with suspected cases immediately contact the CDC—along with state and local health authorities—for guidance. You can find more information here.