Black Fungus claims first life in J&K; Over 200 deaths, 7000 cases recorded across India

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Srinagar: J&K has reported its first death due to Mucormycosis (Black Fungus), the deadly fungal infection attributed to uncontrolled steroid-induced Diabetic Ketoacidosis as a Post-COVID Complication.

A 40-year-old male, repotedly from Poonch district, who had contracted COVID-19 and had tested positive for the black fungus passed away at a hospital in Jammu on Friday.

Principal GMC Jammu, Dr Shashi Sudan said the person was under observation for the last two days and subsequently succumbed Friday afternoon at the health facility.

“The patient had recently recovered from Covid-19 and was now suffering from uncontrolled diabetes”, she said.

“The patient had Mucormycosis apparently due to long term use of steroid drugs,” she said.

Earlier, Dr Sudan had told The Kashmir Monitor how “uncontrolled steroid-induced diabetic ketoacidosis” as a post-COVID complication was the main reason behind the disease.

She pointed out that this is an avoidable complication that can be restricted by strictly monitoring the blood sugar levels of the COVID patients put on steroids.

“Mucormycosis is not a communicable disease and the spores of an opportunistic fungus known as Mucor which are in plenty in the air may start germinating in the eyes and the nasal mucosa and start penetrating the eyeballs, brain, sinuses brain and facial bones necessitating excision,” she said.

Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection caused by a group of moulds called micromycetes, with symptoms such as face numbness, nose obstruction, swelling in the eye or cheeks, and black dry crusts in the nose.

Several parts of the country have reported cases of black fungus.

Mucormycosis is on the rise in India with over 7,000 cases and more than 200 deaths being reported from across the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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