Mucormycosis on rise in Covid-19 patients in Ahmedabad, says doctor
Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection that is found in immunodeficient patients.
Fungal infection mucormycosis has been on the rise among Covid patients in Ahmedabad for the last 15-20 days, doctors have said. Around 67 patients are being treated for the same in the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) ward of BJ Medical College and 45 of them are scheduled to undergo surgery, Dr Kalpesh Patel, associate professor in the hospital told news agency ANI on Saturday.
“There's been a rise in cases of mucormycosis in Covid patients for the last 15-20 days. Currently, 67 patients are in the ENT ward alone. Of which, 45 are yet to undergo surgery. We're conducting 5-7 operations daily,” said Dr Patel.
Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection that is found in immunodeficient patients. Last year too, the country witnessed an outbreak of this fungal disease in Covid patients who have recently recovered. Dr Manish Munjal, a senior ENT surgeon at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, told PTI last year it caused the loss of eyesight and removal of jaw bone in many patients in the national Capital.
Niti Aayog member (Health) V K Paul told on Friday said there is "no big outbreak" of mucormycosis in the country and the disease mostly ails patients with a pre-existing condition like diabetes. Diabetics who have been subjected to immunosuppressive medicines during Covid-19 treatment or have cancer run the risk of contracting it.
“It, to a large extent, is happening to people who have diabetes. It is very uncommon in those who are not diabetic. There is no big outbreak and we are monitoring it," Paul said at the press briefing.
"Mucormycosis attacks people with uncontrolled sugar. Other than that, if the diabetes patient is taking immunosuppressive medicines, steroids, or has cancer, then the impact of mucormycosis is more on that person. If these patients are exposed to wet surfaces, then the chances of getting this disease increases," he added.
