TUESDAY, MAY 07, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Director of Health Services Dr Jose D’Sa on Friday said that no “black fungus” or mucormycosis cases have been detected among COVID-19 patients in the State.
“Till date no ‘black fungus’ case has been found among recovered COVId-19 patients in the hospitals and health centres of the Directorate of Health Services,” Dr D’Sa told Herald.
Mucormycosis also known as “black fungus” is a rare fungal infection and mostly recovering and recovered Coronavirus patients are found infected with the disease. Moreover, anyone who is diabetic and whose immune system is not functioning well needs to be on the guard against this.
The symptoms include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal congestion and blurred or double vision loss.
People catch mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. It can also develop on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn, or other type of skin trauma.
According to an advisory issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), uncontrolled diabetes; weakening of immune system due to use of steroids; prolonged ICU/hospital stay; co-morbidities/post organ transplant/cancer and voriconazole therapy (used to treat serious fungal infections) in COVID-19 patients increase the risk of mucormycosis infection.
In addition, COVID patients undergoing oxygen therapy in ICU, where humidifier is used, are prone to fungal infection because of exposure to moisture.
But this does not mean that every COVID patient will get infected by mucormycosis. The disease is uncommon in those not having diabetes but can be fatal if not treated promptly. Chances of recovery depend upon early diagnosis and treatment and one must seek medical help for detecting fungal infection.
