Novel case of Candida auris in the Veterans Health Administration and in the state of South Carolina.

The emerging pathogen Candida auris poses major infection prevention challenges as the organism can remain on surfaces for unknown timeframes and can cause severe illness. These challenges are exacerbated in the health care environment with potential spread to a vulnerable population. This report describes the Columbia Veterans Administration Health Care System's encounter with this significant pathogen beginning in October 2020 during the COVID19 pandemic.