Pune reports first death due to mucormycosis

Pune: The city on Wednesdayreported its first death due to mucormycosis, commonly known as “black fungus”

Pune: The city on Wednesdayreported its first death due to mucormycosis, commonly known as “black fungus”. The reported death was that of a 29-year-old man who was obese and diabetic. This is the first reported death due to the infection, said PMC health officials. The civic body is ramping up its facilities to admit patients fighting with mucormycosis at its hospitals. The city has reported 168 cases of “black fungus” among the Covid recovered patients.

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On Wednesday, PMC chief health officer Dr Ashish Bharti said the city has reported one death due to the fungal infection and of the 168 cases reported in the city among Covid recovered patients, only two are being treated in civic hospitals and remaining in private hospitals.

Dr Bharti said, “Mucormycosis is a fungal infection caused mainly because the immunity is suppressed in Covid recovered patients due to the use of steroids during the treatment course. Of the 166 patients in private hospitals, one has been declared dead as of yesterday’s updates.”

The patient declared dead due to mucormycosis was reported from Bharti hospital. Dr Jitendra Oswal, deputy medical Director at the hospital, said, “The patient was a morbid obese weighing 110 kgs and suffering from uncontrolled diabetic. He died due to spread of the fungus through the blood which is called as a condition named fugemia. The patient was shifted from another hospital for Covid treatment where he underwent steroid treatment and developed swelling in his eyes before he was brought to our hospital. He had swelling in his face required a ventilator and multiple surgeries.”

Dr Bharati said, “We would reserve about 10-15 beds dedicated for the treatment of mucormycosis who would be referred from other civic hospitals and admitted at Dalvi hospital. For medical management we would get anti-fungal drugs like Amphotericin B in probably the next two days and for surgical management we also have an ENT and ophthalmologist surgeon at the hospital and the operation theatre which was shut due to Covid cases since Dalvi hospital is a maternity hospital, we would procure the equipment required for operation.”