Black Fungus is a common name that has been terrifying to all, along with the COVID. It’s another deadly disease that is affecting people with low immunity, who have recently recovered from the COVID. Let’s know more about the Black Fungus disease.
COVID 19 Pandemic has caused a lot of damage to the world in 2020. India has been hit by the second wave of COVID, and the mutation of the virus is the worst this time. As the healthcare sector was coping-up to deal with this new mutated COVID virus, a known and deadly infection has intervened in the COVID treatments.
The Black Fungus Disease is also medically known as Mucormycosis. It is a very rare and dangerous infection that is caused when the human comes in interaction with mucor mold. It is commonly found in plants, manure, decaying fruits, vegetables, and soil. This infection damages the brain, lungs, and sinuses, which can create life-threatening situations for patients with diabetes, cancer patients, HIV patients, and people with other concerning health problems.
This article is dedicated to educating you about how this black fungus disease came into existence and other related details associated with COVID.
What do Doctors Have to Say about Black Fungus Disease?
The doctors say that mucormycosis or black fungus infection in COVID patients has a 50% mortality rate, which is mostly triggered by the use of steroids, which are highly being used today for treating severely ill COVID positive patients.
The user of steroids was recommended for the treatment because it suppresses the inflammation in the lungs due to COVID 19 and also stops the damage caused to the immune system of the body. Hence, it is considered a quality treatment for COVID patients to prepare their bodies for fighting the virus.
But, in a different scenario, steroids also act as an immunity-reducing agent for diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Apart from that, it also increases blood sugar levels. The doctors are saying that this sudden drop of immunity within the body due to these steroids is what is triggering the black fungus COVID conditions.
Diabetes is meant to lower the immunity defense system of the body, and COVID suppresses it even more. And, the use of steroids for curing the COVID situation is just like fuel to fire. In the month of April, there were around 40 patients reported with this fungal infection in Mumbai, India. Most of those patients were diabetic, and 11 of them had to get one of their eyes removed surgically.
This infection is noticed to show repercussions of the remedies, right after 12 to 15 days of recovering from COVID 19. Therefore, the medical experts are now concerned about how to stop this infection to avoid loss of lives.
Is this Black Fungal Infection Spreading?
The doctors say that earlier, the cases of people suffering from black fungus or mucormycosis were less and were usually seen amongst the diabetic patients and people who met with road accidents. But, all of the cases of the black fungus disease, since the past few months, are related to COVID 19.
The state of Gujarat, India, has notified that there are 100 cases of this infection by now. But, as per the predictions and reports, the count can be even higher. Therefore, it is not clear to date how this infection is taking over the COVID patients. There are researches going on to check whether this infection comes with the virus that reacts lately or is the side effect of some treatment like steroids. There is a need for more research before any concluding verdict can be given upon this infection.
Is Treatment Possible for Black Fungus?
The states of India are demanding an antifungal drug that is named, Amphotericin-B for treating mucormycosis or black fungus symptoms. This drug is considered crucial for proceeding with the treatment for the disease.
Even though the contagious spreading of this fungus is not proven yet, it spreads like cancer within an individual’s body at a rapid pace. The doctors or infectious disease specialists have confirmed this insight about this fungus.
As the doctors and experts conveyed, the approximate cost of treatment for surgeries to remove this infection from the body is around Rs.40,00,000 to Rs.50,00,000. The COVID pandemic was already a lot for the Indians to handle; now, the second wave has brought in new health challenges that are shaking the foundation of the health infrastructure.
Final Words
Black Fungal Infection or mucormycosis, is now taking over the death toll. Even after people are recovering from COVID, they are heading back to the hospitals for a serious black fungus infection that is hampering the brain, lungs, and sinuses of the patients.
Even though there is a treatment for this fungus, diabetic and lowered immunity patients might experience life-threatening symptoms. The government intends to put up proposals to bring in medications and treatments for this disease, but the expense is not bearable by all individuals of the country.
Let’s hope that the doctors find out the root cause of it and eliminate it to stop the spread of this fungal infection amongst COVID patients.
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