(NEXSTAR) – The drug-resistant and deadly fungus Candida auris has proven hard to stamp out in 2026. Candida auris was first reported in the U.S. in 2016 and has spread rapidly over the past several years. Candida auris can survive on surfaces for long periods of time before spreading to patients through catheters, breathing tubes or IVs. See which states are reporting the most cases of Candida auris in the map below. Advertisement AdvertisementWhen it spreads in a health care setting, where patients' health is already compromised, the fungus can be deadly.