A description of the first Candida auris-colonized individuals in New York State, 2016-2017

•This brief report describes characteristics of the first 114 individuals colonized with C. auris identified through active surveillance/screening by NYS Department of Health.•“Colonized/screened” individuals were old (median age, 74 years), had extensive health care exposures and underlying conditions (e.g., multiple health care facility admissions and requiring mechanical ventilation), and had 30- and 90-day mortality rates of 17.5% and 37.7%, respectively (although may not be attributable).•This description adds to the collective understanding of C. auris in the United States.