Black fungus becoming as deadlier as COVID! ‘Has claimed more than 7000 lives so far’, says AIIMS Delhi chief Randeep Guleria

AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria said, "The Covid-19-linked infection has claimed more than 7,000 lives in the country," ANI reported.

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New Delhi: As India grapples with the second wave of the COVID-19, rising cases of mucormycosis or ‘black fungus’ infection are becoming worrisome.  

India has so far reported at least 8,848 mucormycosis cases, as per an IANS report. While AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria was quoted as saying by ANI, "The Covid-19-linked infection has claimed more than 7,000 lives in the country."

Gujarat reported maximum of 2,281 mucormycosis cases followed by Maharashtra (2,000), Andhra Pradesh (910), Madhya Pradesh (720) Rajasthan (700), Karnataka (5,00), Haryana (250), Delhi (197), Punjab (95), Chhattisgarh (87), Bihar (56), Tamil Nadu (40), Kerala (36), Jharkhand (27), Odisha (15), Goa (12) and Chandigarh (8),  the report added.

Meanwhile, as per a report in Hindustan Times, at least 219 people in the country have lost their lives to black fungus so far.

There are no official figures on the number of deaths due to black fungus yet. 

What is black fungus?

‘Black Fungus’ or ‘mucormycosis’ is a rare fungal infection that is caused by a fungus named mucor, found on wet surfaces. The rare cases of mucormycosis of the small intestine were recently reported in Delhi`s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

How to detect Black fungus early?

1. Nose bleeding, abnormal black discharge

2. Nasal congestion

3. Head and eye pain

4. Swelling near the eyes, blurred vision, red eyes, less visibility, difficulty in opening and closing the eye

5. Numbness or tingling feeling on the face

6. Difficulty in opening the mouth or chewing something

7. Toothache, swelling inside or around the mouth

As per experts, cases of mucormycosis are being seen among COVID-19 patients who were administered steroids to treat symptoms, and particularly among those who are suffering from diabetes and cancer. Medical experts have pointed to strong links between diabetes and infection.

In addition, COVID-19 has a tendency to worsen diabetes and also precipitate diabetes in previously normal individuals.

Medicine to treat black fungus

Doctors recommend amphotericin B or "ampho-B", an anti-fungal intravenous injection, for the treatment of the infection. 

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday (May 22) said the availability of Amphotericin-B, is now being increased and the ministry is in touch with five additional manufacturers.

While the existing manufacturers are also “working towards increasing their capacity and production capacity,” Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry was quoted as saying by ANI. 

Meanwhile, the Union minister of chemicals and fertilisers D.V. Sadananda Gowda announced an allocation of 23,680 additional vials of Amphotericin-B in order to treat the deadly infection. 

(With inputs from agencies)