AIIMS neurologist says black fungus cases cross 3-digit mark
More than 20 cases of black fungus are reported daily, said Prof Srivastava, adding that mucor wards have been made separately at AIIMS Trauma Centre and AIIMS Jhajjar
Amid the second wave of Covid-19, India is witnessing a rapid rise in the cases of black fungus, also called mucormycosis.
The head of the neurology department of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, Prof MV Padma Srivastava, on Wednesday said that the number of black fungus infections has crossed the 3-digit mark at the hospital and are increasing rapidly, reported the news agency ANI.
More than 20 cases of black fungus are reported daily, said Prof Srivastava, adding that mucor wards have been made separately at AIIMS Trauma Centre and AIIMS Jhajjar, reported ANI.
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"The number of Black fungus cases is increasing rapidly. We've crossed the 3-digit mark. We've made mucor wards separately at AIIMS Trauma centre and AIIMS Jhajjar. We're getting over 20 cases of Black fungus daily," ANI quoted Prof Srivastava as saying.
Sir Gangaram Hospital in New Delhi has recorded nearly 100 cases of black fungus since May 7. Currently, 69 patients are admitted in the hospital with mucormycosis
The risk of contracting black fungus is very high because of the low immunity caused due to the use of steroids in the treatment of Covid-19 infections. Prof Srivastava warned that it is very important for Covid-19 patients with diabetes to strictly monitor and control their sugar. She also said that there should be rational use of steroids for the treatment.
"The index of suspicion of contracting Black fungus is very high because of low immunity. If Covid happens to diabetic people, sugar should be strictly controlled and there should be rational use of steroids," she said.
The Union health ministry listed--pain and redness around the eyes and/or nose, fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, vomit with blood, altered mental status--symptoms for the identification of the fungal infection.
Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Bihar are some of the states that have reported black fungus cases so far. Due to the massive surge in mucormycosis infections in Rajasthan, the state government declared it an epidemic on Wednesday.
