Health officials have confirmed 35 cases of blastomycosis, a rare fungal disease, among workers at the Billerud Paper Mill in Escanaba, Michigan. The cases were reported on 28 February and the source of the fungal disease is still unknown. Although Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where the mill is located, is a known risk area for the disease, infections are "exceedingly rare," according to Michael Snyder, Public Health Officer for Delta and Menominee Counties. Blastomycosis can be contracted by breathing in fungal spores from moist soil and decomposing matter, such as leaves or wood. It is not contagious from person to person or between people and animals. Symptoms can include coughing, fever, chest pain, muscle and joint pain, night sweats, fatigue, and weight loss. The mill has taken a number of steps to protect its employees and prevent further infections, including conducting extensive cleaning and inspections, testing raw materials, providing N95 masks and requesting a health hazard evaluation.