By NewsDesk  @bactiman63

Mexico health authorities are reporting the first cases of the multi-drug resistant fungus, Candida auris, according a Saludiario report.

A strain of C. auris cultured
in a petri dish at CDC.

The Ministry of Health (SSa) issued an alert due to the detection of at least 10 cases inside a hospital in Nuevo León. Although the name of the hospital has not been revealed, it is stated that the situation is under control and so far the affected patients are reported stable.

The report notes the fungus was identified in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. In five cases it was detected in the bloodstream and in the rest in the urinary tract. There are also 34 other people classified as suspects and who remain under review.

This report comes on the heels of the first reported case in Brazil.

According to the alert of the Epidemiological and Sanitary Intelligence Unit (UIES) of the General Directorate of Epidemiology, the immediate instruction is that all the second and third level Hospital Epidemiological Surveillance Units in Mexico take preventive measures.

The first cases of C. auris were detected in South Korea in 2009. Later, others were identified in India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Chile. In Mexico, cases have never been confirmed until now, which implies a new challenge in the field of health.