(NEWSnet) — A deadly fungus that is considered an urgent public health threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spread at an "alarming rate" during the pandemic, the C.D.C. said on Monday.

Candida auris, or C. auris, is a form of yeast that often causes no symptoms on the body of healthy people. However, the fungus poses a threat to patients with weakened immune systems. 

The fungus normally exists on the skin and throughout the body.

It is particularly prevalent in long-term care facilities, where it is more easily passed between residents.

About one-third of those who become sick because C. auris die.

Copyright 2023 NEWSnet. All rights reserved.