‘Black Fungus’ declared an epidemic in India

India today declared "Black Fungus" (Mucormycosis), a complication commonly associated with Covid-19, as an epidemic.

At least 10 people have died and more than 2,000 Covid-19 patients have so far been detected with "Black Fungus" across India, as per a statement given by the health minister of Maharashtra recently, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Some patients even lost their eyesight to the virus.

All Indian states and union territories were asked to notify "Mucormycosis" as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897. Such a notification facilitates declaring a disease as an epidemic, according to a letter issued by the Indian health ministry signed its Joint Secretary Luv Agarwal.

People contract "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 types of skin trauma.

The disease is being detected among patients who are recovering or have recovered from Covid-19, the Indian health ministry said earlier.

Moreover, anyone who is diabetic and whose immune system is not functioning well needs to be on the lookout against "Black Fungus".

The risk of "Mucormycosis" infection goes up among people with uncontrolled diabetes, weakening of immune system due to use of steroids, prolonged ICU or hospital stay, co-morbidities or post organ transplant or cancer and voriconazole therapy used to treat serious fungal infections, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

"Mucormycosis begins to manifest as skin infection in the air pockets located behind our forehead, nose, and cheekbones and in between the eyes and teeth. It then spreads to the eyes, lungs and can even spread to the brain, leading to blackening or discolouration over the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, breathing difficulties and coughing up blood," said ICMR.