Gujarat reports first case of black fungus in 15-year-old child

The boy was discharged from the hospital earlier after successfully recovering from the Covid-19 disease in April. Later, he was diagnosed with Mucormycosis, the doctor said.

The rapidly spreading Mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus, is now affecting children as well. In Gujarat, the epicentre of the rare fungal disease that affects Covid-19 patients, a 15-year-old was found to be infected with Mucormycosis. "This is the first case of paediatric Mucormycosis in Ahmedabad," paediatric doctor Abhishek Bansal said on Saturday, as reported by the news agency ANI.

Doctors perform a Diagnostic Nasal Endoscopy (DNE) on a patient to detect Black Fungus.(PTI)

The boy was discharged from the hospital earlier after successfully recovering from the Covid-19 disease in April. Later, he was diagnosed with Mucormycosis, the doctor said. He is currently stable and will be discharged after two to three days, news agency ANI reported quoting the doctor.

The local media reported that the boy complained of symptoms after a week of recovering from the viral infection and was undergoing treatment at Apple Children’s Hospital.

Amid the Covid-19 outbreak in the country, cases of Mucormycosis have emerged in patients who were in the recovery phase of the disease. The fungal infection is more life-threatening and attacks those with weak immune systems or who have comorbidity like diabetes. The disease can result in breathing problems and coughing blood. Other symptoms include blackening or discolouration over the nose, blurred or double vision and chest pain.

Doctors are suspecting that the sudden surge in Mucormycosis may be linked to the rapid use of steroids to treat Covid-19 patients.

On Friday, the health officials of Gujarat said that more than 1,100 Mucormycosis patients who had recovered from Covid-19 are undergoing treatment at government hospitals in four major cities of Gujarat.

The highest number of 450 patients are admitted to the Rajkot civil hospital, 350 to the main civil hospital of Ahmedabad, around 110 in two state-run hospitals in Surat city and around 225 patients are receiving treatment in government hospitals in Vadodara city including 148 at SSG hospital, PTI reported quoting local administration.

All India Institute of Medical Science (Aiims) director Randeep Guleria on Friday listed three factors important in the prevention of Mucormycosis outbreak.

"Three factors are very important: First, good control of blood sugar levels; second, those on steroids must monitor blood sugar levels regularly; and, third, be careful about when to give steroids and their dosage," news agency ANI quoted Guleria saying as the Covid-linked infection claimed more than 7,000 lives in the country so far.