In January, Nevada experienced a spike in clinical cases of Candida auris, and although clinical cases have since dropped, colonization cases have increased dramatically, ABC affiliate 8 News Now reported June 1.
In January, the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health reported 76 clinical cases and 129 colonized cases. From February to May , there were 223 clinical cases and 624 colonized cases. In March, colonized cases peaked at 234.
Two hospitals saw the highest number of cases since 2021: Las Vegas-based Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center with a total of 1,020 cases, and Lost Vegas-based Valley Hospital Medical Center with 388 cases.
Steven Merta, MD, chief medical officer at Sunrise, said in the report that the high number of cases is expected at a hospital that handles the most at-risk patients. Sunrise is the largest acute care hospital in the state, with 834 beds, and accepts patients from all over the state and a portion of Arizona.