I’ve been eying these gas masks for a few weeks, looks like I might just put in an order. If you’re on the west coast I suggest you do the same, or at least order some sort of breathing masks, though for my money for something like this killer fungus I’d at least want something like the 3m P100 which can reliably keep spores out of your lungs, especially if you’re working with soil in areas where this fungus is known to exist.

From MSNBC:

A deadly, airborne new strain of fungus has emerged in Oregon. It has killed nearly one out of four known affected people so far and might also attack animals ranging from dogs to dolphins. And it is likely to spread, researchers now warn.

The new strain known as VGIIc of the fungus Cryptococcus gattii not only targets humans but has also proven capable of infecting dogs, cats, alpacas, sheep and elk. Other strains have even infected porpoises.

Although it can spread to mammals, it does not jump from animal to animal. Instead, people and other animals get it from inhaling spores released by samples of the fungus that infect trees.

[…]

While scientists aren’t sure how the highly infectious or virulent fungus emerged in Oregon, they caution the new strain now looks set to expand to California and other neighboring areas.

“This novel fungus is worrisome because it appears to be a threat to otherwise healthy people,” Byrnes said. “Typically, we more often see this fungal disease associated with transplant recipients and HIV-infected patients, but that is not what we are seeing yet.“

That is worrisome, it sounds like the fungoid equivalent of a super bug like MRSA. More worrisome however is how it’s treated, which requires resources and materials that will be in short supply once Obamacare kicks in full force:

Treatment requires months to years of antifungal medications, and even surgery to remove the large masses of the fungus known as cryptococcomas that can develop in the body. So far it cannot be prevented, as there is no vaccine.

The article goes on to describe the earlier known strains that mysteriously showed up from the tropics around 1999 and had a mortality rate under 10%. No one knows where the fungus comes from however, or how it mutated into such a deadly organism.

They also don’t know how to stop its spread or how far it will eventually travel. AlertNet reports the fungus has also been found in cats, dogs, an alpaca, and a sheep.

N.T.A. is reporting that the Oregon Department of Human Services is naysaying the MSNBC report. From KATU:

“It’s a very rare disease,” she said Thursday evening. “It does not affect otherwise healthy people. It affects people who are already ill from other causes like respiratory disease, asthma and transplant patients.”

She stressed that it is a “very, very rare” disease.

Sounds like someone’s trying to stop a panic.

h/t WhenSHTF forum.