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Volume 32, Number 4—April 2026

Research

Accelerated Increase in Candida auris Bloodstream Infections during COVID-19 Pandemic, South Africa

Husna Ismail, Olga Perovic, Ruth Mpembe, Warren Lowman, Chetna Govind, Pieter Ekermans, Waasila Jassat, Richard Welch, and Nelesh P. GovenderComments to Author 
Author affiliation: National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa (H. Ismail, O. Perovic, R. Mpembe, W. Jassat, R. Welch, N.P. Govender); University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (R. Mpembe, W. Lowman, N.P. Govender); Vermaak and Partners/Pathcare Pathologists, Pretoria, South Africa (W. Lowman); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, Johannesburg (W. Lowman); Lancet Laboratories, Durban, South Africa (C. Govind); Ampath Microbiology National Reference Laboratory, Centurion, South Africa (P. Ekermans)

Main Article

Figure 5

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on weekly Candida BSI counts in study of accelerated increase in C. auris BSIs during COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa, January 2019–June 2022. Vertical dashed red line marks the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa (March 5, 2020). Solid green line represents the ITS model prediction for Candida BSIs; solid blue line indicates the actual number of Candida BSIs. Weekly COVID-19 case counts are scaled (dotted red line) and overlaid for comparison. Background shading indicates timing and duration of national lockdown alert levels: level 5, March 27–April 30, 2020; level 4, May 1–May 31, 2020; level 3, June 1–August 17, 2020; level 2, August 18–September 20, 2020; level 1, September 21–December 28, 2020. BSI, bloodstream infection; ITS, interrupted time series.

Figure 5. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on weekly Candida BSI counts in study of accelerated increase in C. auris BSIs during COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa, January 2019–June 2022. Vertical dashed red line marks the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa (March 5, 2020). Solid green line represents the ITS model prediction for Candida BSIs; solid blue line indicates the actual number of Candida BSIs. Weekly COVID-19 case counts are scaled (dotted red line) and overlaid for comparison. Background shading indicates timing and duration of national lockdown alert levels: level 5, March 27–April 30, 2020; level 4, May 1–May 31, 2020; level 3, June 1–August 17, 2020; level 2, August 18–September 20, 2020; level 1, September 21–December 28, 2020. BSI, bloodstream infection; ITS, interrupted time series.

Main Article

Page created: February 07, 2026
Page updated: April 02, 2026
Page reviewed: April 02, 2026
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