It appears that Covid-19 is not the only calamity that India may have to deal with in the coming days. There are people who are still trying to deal with the chaos, destruction and death that the second wave of Covid-19 has brought. The next punch comes to hit the country is black fungus or mucormycosis. The rising number of black fungus patients, especially in Maharashtra where 111 patients, all Covid-19 survivors, are undergoing treatment according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, is a cause of worry.
Mucormycosis, also referred to as zygomycosis, is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. These molds live throughout the environment. When someone breathes in these spores, infection in the sinus or lung can occur. It primarily affects people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness. It is affecting Covid patients more because of prolonged administration of steroids and subsequent immunocompromised state.
Dr Monalisa Sahu, Consultant Infectious Diseases, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad shares dos and don’ts to follow to prevent black fungus.
