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Deadly 'Black Fungus' Surges Among India's COVID-19 Patients

- Special hospital wards are being set up in New Delhi to treat a surge of "black fungus" infections among COVID-19 patients in India. Black fungus is a rare but deadly infection that kills over 50% of sufferers within days if not treated. - The rise in black fungus cases is linked to the high use of steroids to treat COVID-19, which suppresses the immune system and allows the naturally occurring fungus to infect and spread. Patients with diabetes and weak immune systems are most at risk. - Several Indian states have declared black fungus epidemics, with thousands of cases reported, especially in Maharashtra and Delhi. There are shortages of antifungal drugs needed to treat it as India's

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36 views

Deadly 'Black Fungus' Surges Among India's COVID-19 Patients

- Special hospital wards are being set up in New Delhi to treat a surge of "black fungus" infections among COVID-19 patients in India. Black fungus is a rare but deadly infection that kills over 50% of sufferers within days if not treated. - The rise in black fungus cases is linked to the high use of steroids to treat COVID-19, which suppresses the immune system and allows the naturally occurring fungus to infect and spread. Patients with diabetes and weak immune systems are most at risk. - Several Indian states have declared black fungus epidemics, with thousands of cases reported, especially in Maharashtra and Delhi. There are shortages of antifungal drugs needed to treat it as India's

Uploaded by

kaye choi
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Deadly 'black fungus' surges

among India's COVID-19


patients
Agence France-Presse
Posted at May 20 2021 07:51 PM

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An 80-year-old woman sits inside an ambulance as she waits to enter a COVID-19 hospital for
treatment, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Ahmedabad, India on
May 5, 2021. Amit Dave, Reuters/File Photo
Special hospital wards will be set up in India's capital New Delhi to fight "black fungus", authorities
said Thursday as the life-threatening infection surged among coronavirus patients.

A rare disease in normal times, authorities say thousands have developed Mucormycosis -- or black
fungus -- across India as it battles a Covid-19 wave that has killed more than 100,000 people in the
past month.

Some doctors say the high use of steroids to combat the coronavirus has caused the black fungus
explosion.

The disease kills more than 50 percent of sufferers within days. In some cases, eyes and upper jaws
are removed by surgeons to stop the spread of the infection.

New Delhi's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said special wards would be set up at three hospitals to
handle the increased number of black fungus cases.

He also vowed to ensure that all patients will get the medicines they need, with anti-fungal drugs the
latest shortage to hit India's already stretched healthcare system.

There are more than 200 black fungus patients in New Delhi hospitals, with dozens on waiting lists
for beds, according to media reports.

Indian social media has been flooded with requests from relatives of Mucormycosis sufferers
pleading for help to find medicines.

The Rajasthan and Telangana states have declared black fungus epidemics. Maharashtra state alone
has reported more than 2,000 cases.

Authorities have not been able to give a figure for Mucormycosis deaths since the coronavirus wave
hit six weeks ago.

Black fungus is caused by organisms called mucormycetes, which can enter the body through
breathing or skin injuries.

These are naturally present in soil and decaying organic matter, but once inside humans, they can
infect air pockets behind the forehead, nose, cheekbones and between the eyes and teeth.

Some doctors say there has been panic use of steroids to combat Covid-19 which has helped the
spread of black fungus.

Coronavirus patients with diabetes and a weakened immune system are particularly prone to black
fungus.

Many of the drugs used to fight the coronavirus suppress the body's immune system that would
normally ward off a fungal infection.

The prevalence of diabetes in India is among the highest in the world.

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