Black fungus cases in Maharashtra, 52 dead

Mumbai, May 14

As many as 52 persons have died due to Mucormycosis, a rare but dangerous fungal infection, in Maharashtra since the Covid-19 outbreak last year, a senior health department official said on Friday.

Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, became a much talked about subject after some recovering and recovered Covid patients were found infected with the disease, whose symptoms include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of vision.

All the 52 victims were Covid survivors, but succumbed to the black fungus infection, the official said. For the first time, the state health department has compiled a list of deaths caused by black fungus,” said the official. On Wednesday, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope had said there were 1,500 cases of black fungus in the state, which was in the throes of a severe second wave. Rising Mucormycosis cases is expected to put a further burden on the state’s healthcare infrastructure, which is already under a strain. — PTI