As of Friday, May 12, there have been 118 confirmed or probable cases of blastomycosis among individuals who either work at or have visited the Escanaba Billerud Mill, according to the Public Health Delta and Menominee Counties (PHDM). Out of these cases, 14 individuals have been hospitalized. Additionally, there has been one reported death associated with this outbreak.

PHDM has stated that although there has been a slight increase of three cases in the past week, this does not necessarily indicate ongoing exposures to Blastomyces, the fungus causing the infection. Given the lengthy incubation time for blastomycosis (the time from exposure to the fungus to the onset of symptoms), it is likely that all cases had exposure prior to the mill’s idling operations. The incubation period for blastomycosis can vary from 21 to 90 days.

Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties continues to collaborate with the Billerud Paper Mill, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address this situation.