E-Paper
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.
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.”
Health authorities on the alert
Meanwhile, a top health official, who did not wish to be named, said the government was on the alert and was ready to tackle mucormycosis. State National Health Mission director Dr Nipun Jindal said it had been observed that mucormycosis is on the rise among post-Covid patients in the country. “Uncontrolled diabetes, immunosuppression by steroids, prolonged intensive care unit stay, comorbidities, transplant and malignancy are predisposing factors for this disease. The state has already issued an advisory regarding the prevention and management of black fungus disease in the hospitals.”
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.
