According to foreign media reports, an “extremely rare” fungal infection has erupted at the paper mill in Escanaba, Michigan, USA, causing 19 employees to be infected with the fungus and 74 employees to be suspected of being infected.

The paper mill has a total of 885 employees, and currently about a dozen factory employees have been hospitalized for treatment. Health institutions are still working to determine the source of contact with fungi, and the first symptoms of factory employees began in January and February of this year. The factory currently belongs to Billerud Corporation, a multinational paper and packaging company headquartered in Sweden.

The Escanaba factory has three paper machines with an annual production capacity of 730000 tons. Mainly produces cultural paper, label paper, etc. Billerud plans to convert two cultural paper machines into packaging paper, with one machine expected to be completed by 2025 and the second machine by 2029. The total production capacity after conversion will reach approximately 1.1 million tons of cardboard (FBB) and coated brown paper (CUK).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, blastomycosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Blastomyces, which mainly lives in wet soil, decomposes organic matter (such as wood), and spreads by inhaling spores.

After the human body is exposed to germs and infected, it may take three weeks to three months for symptoms to appear. Symptoms may include fever and cough, and people with weaker immune systems may experience more severe cases.