Is black fungus maiming covid 19 patients in India?

 Is black fungus maiming covid 19 patients in India?

Black fungus is a rare fungal disease, usually impacts people whose immune system has been compromised. States across India have declared a ‘black fungus’ epidermic based on the cases of fatal. Black Fungus is a rare infection that directly shoots up in patients recovering from covid-19. This fungal disease is also known as mucormycosis because it has a 50% mortality rate. It initially affects the nose of the patient but it spreads into the brain as well. This fungus can often only diagnose by major surgery removing the part of the skull and jaw or the eye.

There are more than 7,200 people in India, have now been reported with a black fungus of which 219 people already have lost their lives. The cases of black fungus rise in those patients who already had suffered from covid-19 or directly linked to an overuse of steroids in the treatment of the coronavirus. These steroids can acutely affect the immune system if they take over a long-term period. Several channels claim that this fungal infection is more prone to diabetic patients. India has become the second-highest rate of diabetes in the globe. India’s news channels have been reported that covid patients who are on a ventilator in ICU (Intensive Care Unit), more prevalent for the black fungus because their airways being exposed to moisture and humidity.

There are five states Odisha, Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Telangana and Rajasthan have announced black fungus to be epidermic. This disease obtains by fungal spores which are found in soil and organic matter, which is usually administer or inhaled by humans from the air. Initially, this mould enters the body then manifest around the eye and nose sockets, due to the nose blackening. In case if it is not stopped then it will move fatally into the brain. The Indian Council of Medical Research stated that individuals can fight off the fungus who have a strong immune system.

Mucormycosis or black fungus is not contagious, and most of the people who come in contact with the fungi, don’t develop an infection. It is a type of fungal infection that obtains through exposure to fungi known as mucoromycetes. However, this fungus occurs in the environment, majorly in soil, leaves, animal dung and compost. This fungal spore can enter the body by breathing, inhaling and exposes wounds in the skin. People with a severely weakened immune system are at high risk of black fungus. This involves people with diabetes, HIV, cancer, surgery, skin injury. There are more than 30 million people in India who have a diabetes diagnosis. Initially, the number of cases of black fungus was relatively too low before the covid-19 but cases are rising. Covid-19 already has a weakened immune system which prevents the body from effectively protecting against the infection. As a result, recovered patients from covid-19 are at high risk for mucormycosis. It is quite a common fact that the virus is a part of its replication cycle, suppress the immune system so it can not clear other fungi or bacteria. There is a great example of HIV which cause long-term immune suppression. However, some other viruses do this on a short timescale. According to clinical data, “immunity can be suppressed for a few days or week when the virus is there”.

Steroids treatment for the patient with covid-19 may also act as an immune suppressant, contributes to increasing this mucormycosis infection rates. Apart from this, oxygen support for severe patients with covid-19 causes drying of the nasal cavity and further enhance the risk of infection. The state of Rajasthan announced a mucormycosis ‘epidemic’ on 9 May 2o21. In the city of Surat, around 8 out of 40 covid -19 survivors who infected mucormycosis in the eye lost their eyesight. While the state of Maharashtra quoted that over 2000 recent cases of mucormycosis along with 8 resulted in death. As the same situation is taking place in other states across the nation.

Based on the above discussion, it can be concluded that black fungus is exactly maiming covid-19 patients. To get control over the situation, the health minister needs to take some initiatives like creates special wards as soon as possible. They must launch awareness campaigns to spread awareness in people about the disease so that they do not be part of rumours. One thing I would like to say to all, kindly stop being a doctor and take medicines on by own because today whatever situation has taken place, we are the reason. Before taking any medication, we must consult to doctor or pharmacist instead of believing in non-medical field people.

Update yourself with authentic sources instead of believing unauthenticity!

Stay Safe! Don’t spread fake rumours because they can harm others!

Jai Hind! Jai Bharat! 😇😃