1 Dead, 96 Sickened In Fungal Outbreak At Michigan Paper Mill

ESCANABA, MI — One person is dead and at least 96 others have fallen ill in an outbreak of blastomycosis at the Billerud Paper Mill located in the northwest Michigan city of Escanaba, according to local health officials.

Officials with Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties said at least 21 confirmed and 76 probable cases of blastomycosis were found among Billerud Paper Mill employees and contractors.

Out of 97 total cases, 12 people were hospitalized and one person died, officials said. The person who died was a contractor at the mill.

"Everyone at Billerud is deeply saddened by this news," Brian Peterson, Billerud operations vice president for the mill, said in a statement shared by the local health department.

Blastomycosis is an uncommon infection caused by the fungus Blastomyces that's typically found in moist soil and in decomposing wood and leaves, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People can get blastomycosis by breathing in fungal spores from the air.

Symptoms of blastomycosis are similar to lung infections and can include fever, cough, muscle aches or joint pain, and fatigue, according to the CDC.

Blastomycosis is treatable with anti-fungal medications, but an early diagnosis is crucial, health officials said.

Billerud officials shuttered the plant Thursday in response to the outbreak, according to officials. The facility is undergoing cleaning at the recommendation of the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Blastomycosis cases are uncommon across the United States. According to CDC data, a total of 240 cases were reported nationwide in 2019. On average, about 26 cases are reported in Michigan each year, according to Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties.