A very rare but serious fungal infection, Black Fungus or Mucormycosis (previously called Zygomycosis) is caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. In Delhi, doctors have witnessed a rise in triggered Mucormycisis covid-19 cases in patients again.
The fungus is generally caused by molds. These molds are living throughout the environment. People who generally have a health problem or take medicines which lower the body’s capacity to fight virus, germs, and sickness are prone to such fungal infection. These infections are rare but can be fatal.
Symptoms of the infection include face numbness, swelling in the eyes or pain in the eyes, nose obstruction on one side, etc.
Doctors have observed a steep rise in such cases in last year as well in December. Doctors have seen 12 such cases with a short span of 15 days.
According to Dr. Manish Munjal, Senior ENT Surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the cases of infection are again seen in covid patients. He told the media that they were seeing a rise in the dangerous black fungus infection triggered by covid 19 again. He added that due to this deadly infection, many patients lost their life leading to a high mortality rate. Also, the consequence was the removal of bone from the jaw and nose and loss of eyesight.
Dr. Ajay Swaroop, Chairman, Department of ENT, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said “Use of steroids in the treatment of Covid infection, plus the fact that many Covid patients have diabetes as co-morbidity could be the reasons for a rise in the number of black fungus infections again. Covid patients with weak immunity are more prone to this deadly infection”.
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