First black fungus case detected in Himachal

The fungal infection has been found to affect recovering Covid patients, especially those on steroid therapy or with a sugar imbalance

A woman, who was undergoing treatment for the novel coronavirus disease at Indira Gandhi Medical College, has become the first person in Himachal Pradesh to contract mucormycosis or black fungus — an aggressive and possibly fatal fungal infection, which has been declared as an epidemic in most states.

Health workers carrying empty oxygen cylinders to refill them from Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital in Shimla on Thursday. (Deepak Sansta / HT)

The fungal infection has been found to affect recovering Covid patients, especially those on steroid therapy or with a sugar imbalance. Dr Janak Raj, senior medical superintendent of IGMC, Shimla, the state’s premier healthcare institution, on Thursday said that the patient, a woman, hails from Hamirpur. She is diabetic and also suffers from hypertension.

Raj said, “The patient tested positive for the coronavirus disease on May 4. She was first admitted to Lal Bahadur Shashtri Government Medical College, Nerchowk, on May 8 after she complained of difficulty in breathing. She was later referred to IGMC. The fungal infection is under her nose. She is undergoing treatment for the same and her condition is stable.”

First black fungus case detected in Himachal

Health authorities on the alert

The district health society and directorate of medical education have been asked to take stock of adequate antifungal drugs such as amphotericin B in their respective institutions.