The black fungus settles on the brain and about half of the patients die within a few days. It is mainly people with weakened immune systems who are affected and thousands of those who have fallen ill are covid patients.
India has had a dramatic spread of covid in recent weeks and now the Indian Ministry of Health is urging the country’s states to classify the black fungus as an epidemic. In this way, the authorities would have a greater opportunity to monitor developments and coordinate efforts, but so far there are no exact figures on how many have contracted the infection.
Steroid drugs may be behind it
The black fungus is actually called mucormycosis, and is usually spread with the inhaled air through the sinuses. When the infection breaks out in the lungs and brain, it causes fever, redness around the eyes and nose, and in severe cases blood-mixed vomiting. Patients are at risk of losing their sight and, in rare cases, doctors have had to operate on the infected jawbone to prevent the fungus from spreading to the brain.
One theory is that the steroid drugs used to treat covid patients may have caused the outbreak. The steroids reduce the damage the body’s immune system takes when it fights the coronavirus. But the steroids also reduce immunity, which can contribute to the increase in the fungal infection.
“Gets even more worried”
The unrest is now spreading among the people of the country. SVT has spoken to a woman living in Bombay, Mubishra Khan, who for the first time in several weeks dared to leave home.
– The whole family has basically been trapped in our studio apartment since last spring, and then we spend a lot of time in front of the TV. We follow the news closely and when we now hear about the black fungus, we become, if possible, even more worried than we already were, she says.
Now she just wants life to be normal again.
– We pray to god and hope that the authorities will have control over both covid and the black fungus, she says.
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