In the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in the country, black fungus, which has become life-threatening for people recovering from the Covid infection, increases havoc.
This fatal fungal infection is found mainly in people suffering from a disease like diabetes and has recently recovered from Covid infection.
Presently Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana and many other states have been hit by it.
What is mucormycosis or black fungus?
Mucormycosis or black fungus is a sporadic infection. It is caused by mucus fungus, which thrives in soil, plants, manure, rotten fruits and vegetables. It usually affects those who have been taking the drug for a long time and whose immunity is weak.
Dr Randeep Guleria, director of Delhi AIIMS, has said that excessive use of steroids is the leading cause of this infection in coronavirus patients, especially diabetics.
What are the main symptoms of black fungus?
According to experts, a person suffering from black fungus has swelling in one part of the face. Other symptoms include headache, nasal infection, black sores on the nose or upper part of the mouth, fever, cough, chest pain, difficulty in breathing, swelling and pain in the eyes, falling eyelids, blurred vision, and blindness.
It may appear two to three days after recovery or even during recovery in patients recovering from corona infection.
Maharashtra Health Minister Tope has expressed the possibility of 2,000 cases of black fungus.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope had said that there could be more than 2,000 cases of black fungus and had predicted a further increase in their numbers. According to a senior health department official, 52 people recovering from coronavirus infection in the state have also died of black fungus.
The government has prepared data in this regard for the first time. Separate wards have been created for the treatment of black fungus patients.
More than 100 cases of black fungus have been reported in Gujarat
Gujarat is also one of the states most affected by black fungus. So far, more than 100 such cases have been confirmed here.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has also announced separate wards to treat patients with black fungus infection.
The state government said that it had ordered 5,000 injections of amphotericin-B, an antifungal drug used in the treatment of black fungus, at the cost of 3.12 crore.
Forty cases of black fungus were reported in Haryana.
More than 40 cases of black fungus disease have been reported in Haryana in the past few days, Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja had said yesterday, according to a PTI report.
Because of this, the state government has gone ahead and declared Black Fungus as a notified disease. This means that now all the cases of black fungus will have to be reported to the government authorities. This will help in better tracking and treating the infection.
Nearly 29 cases of black fungus surfaced in the national capital Delhi
Doctors say that at least ten patients were recently admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi on suspicion of being infected with black fungus.
Similarly, Dr Ajay Swaroop said that 19 other people suffering from black fungus are undergoing treatment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that the Delhi government is taking all necessary steps to overcome this disease.
Five suspicious cases of black fungus found in Odisha
According to a report by The Times of India, at least five suspected cases of black fungus have been reported in Odisha so far.
Given this, on Friday, the state government constituted a seven-member committee of senior doctors to monitor the increase in such cases. Niranjan Mishra, Director of Public Health in Odisha, has been appointed as the convenor of the state-level committee. This committee will supervise the affairs of Black Fungus.
Cases were also reported in Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, black fungus infection has been confirmed in at least four people who have been cured of Coronavirus infection.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday that there had been some cases in his state.
According to other reports, there have been some cases of black fungus infection from several districts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. However, these have not been confirmed by the state governments.