Deadly Blastomycosis Outbreak Linked to Michigan Paper Mill Shuts Down Facility

Nearly 100 people associated with a paper mill in Michigan's Upper Peninsula have likely contracted the fungal infection blastomycosis, resulting in at least one death and over a dozen hospitalizations.
The infection is caused by inhaling spores of Blastomyces fungi found in moist soil and decaying organic matter, though person-to-person transmission is rare.
Symptoms of blastomycosis include fever, cough, chest pain, muscle aches, and fatigue, though immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk of severe disease.
The paper mill has temporarily closed for deep cleaning and testing to determine the source of the outbreak, which is unusually large given the rarity of blastomycosis.
Federal health officials are investigating the unprecedented spike in cases, which typically only sees a few dozen reports annually across the entire state of Michigan.