Salem Hospital (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
The Oregon Health Authority said Thursday they have found no new cases of Candida auris since the fungal infection was found in three patients at Salem Hospital in December.
The cases were the first ever identified in Oregon, and were of concern because the yeast is often resistant to multiple antifungal drugs.
The agency said in a news release Thursday afternoon that patients who were transferred from affected units at Salem Hospital to other health care facilities have so far tested negative.
“We are happy to report that as of Jan. 4, the total number of patients in whom Candida auris has been detected remains at three,” Dr. Dat Tran, medical director for OHA’s Healthcare-Associated Infections Program, said in the news release.
The first patient was identified at Salem Hospital Dec. 11 and had multiple hospitalizations abroad, where they likely acquired the infection, hospital officials said. Salem Health spokeswoman Lisa Wood said the hospital confirmed the case on Dec. 17.
Two other hospital patients then tested positive for the yeast, the release said. They were identified on Dec. 23 and Dec. 27.
-Ardeshir Tabrizian
