Black fungus an epidemic: Chandigarh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20

With 23 patients undergoing treatment at two hospitals in the city, the UT Administration has notified mucormycosis or black fungus as an epidemic.

A notification issued by Arun Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary, Health, UT, stated that Chandigarh was threatened with the outbreak of dangerous epidemic, namely mucormycosis, among those immune-compromised, especially Covid-19 patients being treated with steroids, and that the ordinary provisions of law in force were insufficient for the management of the disease.

Now, all healthcare facilities, including private, will follow the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for screening, diagnosis and management of mucormycosis.

All healthcare facilities will report each and every suspected or confirmed case of mucormycosis to the Health Department. No person or institution or organisation will spread any information or material for the management of mucormycosis without a permission of the Health Department.

A committee under the chairpersonship of the Director, Health and Family Welfare, UT, will be constituted, which will have specialists of internal medicine, ophthalmology, ENT and epidemiology as members, to review any disobeying by any person or institution of the notification.

In the UT, 16 patients of black fungus are undergoing treatment at the PGI while seven are being treated at the GMCH in Sector 32.

What causes mucormycosis

• Mucormycosis or black fungus is a complication caused by fungal infection. People catch mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. It can also develop on the skin after the fungus enters it through a cut, scrape, burn or any other type of skin trauma.
• The disease is being detected among patients who are recovering or have recovered from Covid-19. Anyone who is diabetic and whose immune system is not functioning well needs to guard against it.

Conditions making Covid-19 patients prone

• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Weakening of immune system due to use of steroids
• Prolonged ICU/hospital stay
• Comorbidities/post-organ transplant/cancer
• Voriconazole therapy (used to treat serious fungal infections)

Relation with Covid

• In the normal course, human body’s immune system successfully fights such fungal infections. However, the treatment of Covid-19 patients involves intake of drugs which suppress the immune system response. Due to this, Covid-19 patients face a renewed risk of losing the battle against attacks mounted by organisms such as mucormycetes.
• In addition, Covid patients undergoing oxygen therapy in the ICU, where humidifier is used, are prone to fungal infection because of exposure to moisture.
• The disease is uncommon among those not having diabetes but can be fatal if not treated promptly.
• Chances of recovery depend upon early diagnosis and treatment.

Symptoms

Initially: Nasal blockade or congestion, nasal discharge (bloody or brown/black), local pain

• Facial pain, numbness or swelling
• Headache, orbital pain
• Toothache
• Blurred or double vision with pain