Black fungus cases in Karnataka rises, state asks Centre for 25000 doses of Amphotericin B

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New Delhi: As Karnataka government grapples with the surge in coronavirus cases, it now has to worry about the surge in Mucormycosis infections, also known as the 'black fungus'.

The state has demanded a supply of 25,000 doses of Amphotericin B from the Centre as more and more COVID-19 recovered patients are reported to have been infected.

"During the video conference Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan... we put forth a demand for 25,000 (doses of) Amphotericin B," Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar was quoted as saying by PTI.

The cases of black fungus are being reported as a post COVID complications due to the excess use of steroids and diabetes, minister told reporters at the state capital.

Sudhakar claimed that since the only medicine to cure black fungus is Amphotericin B, the state government has placed an order to purchase the anti-fungal drug.

According to doctors, mucormycosis, also called black fungus, is mostly found among among COVID-19 patients who have diabetes.

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection that mainly affects people who are on medication that reduces their ability to fight environmental pathogens.

Its warning symptoms include pain and redness around eyes and nose, fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, bloody vomits and altered mental status.

The disease can be managed by controlling diabetes, discontinuing immunomodulating drugs, reducing steroids and extensive surgical debridement- to remove all necrotic materials.