India has recorded 11,717 cases of Mucormycosis, or Black Fungus, so far, with Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh logging the highest number of cases, as per the latest government data.
Last week, as the number of Covid patients infected with Mucormycosis spiked, the Health Ministry asked all states to declare Black Fungus infection an epidemic and report all cases. The disease has emerged as a new challenge in India's battle against COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday.
Maharashtra has reported 2,770 cases so far. Gujarat has logged 2,859 cases and Andhra Pradesh 768 cases. Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda shared data from different states and said around 30,000 extra vials of Amphotericin-B - the drug used to treat Mucormycosis - had been allocated to all states and union territories.
Delhi has reported 620 cases so far, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today. This is nearly five times more than the number of cases (119) reported by the central government.
Mucormycosis, according to the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), is a fungal infection that "mainly affects people who are dealing with medical problems that reduces their abilities to fight environmental pathogens".
Pain and redness around the eyes or nose, fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, bloody vomit and altered mental status are some of the symptoms.
Mucormycosis, "if uncared for", may turn fatal, the ICMR has warned.
Sinusitis, one-sided facial pain, numbness or swelling, blackish discolouration "over bridge of nose or palate", toothache, loosening of teeth, blurred or double vision, chest pain and breathing trouble are some of the symptoms in Covid or diabetic patients.
Diabetic patients should always monitor and control their blood sugar level, the Health Ministry has said. "Misuse of steroids" should be avoided, it has underlined.
Responding to reports about Yellow and White Fungus, AIIMS chief Randeep Guleria earlier this week said that "many terms" were being used for fungal infections in Covid patients and these could be misleading and could create confusion.
"Naming the same fungus based on its colours, depending on the area of infection, creates confusion," he said.
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