Deadly drug-resistant fungus confirmed in 23 states, new CDC data shows

A drug-resistant and potentially deadly fungus is spreading again, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Candida auris was first reported in the U.S. in 2016, and it has spread rapidly in the past several years, The Hill reported. Due to its resistance to drugs typically used to treat fungal infections, the fungus is being considered a "superbug." 

Healthy people often fight off infection from the fungus on their own, but it can be deadly in hospital settings, where people's immune responses are less robust. The fungus can survive on surfaces for long periods before spreading to patients through catheters, breathing tubes or IVs.

So far this year, nearly half of all states have reported cases to the CDC. Texas, with more than 700 known cases as of mid-July, has the most reported cases, with Michigan coming in second with 503 cases.