Now, Black fungus detected in Afghanistan

Black fungus or mucormycosis was reported in India during the brutal second wave of coronavirus

Black fungus which was detected in India among recovering Covid-19 patients has been found in Afghanistan, the country’s health minister Wahid Majroh told the Associated Press on Saturday. One individual has already succumbed to the virus, and two new cases have also been detected. This comes as the country is battling a deadly third wave of coronavirus.

Immunocompromised patients who are recovering from coronavirus are more likely to be infected by black fungus (HT PHOTO)

Black fungus or mucormycosis, which is caused by exposure to mucor mold, commonly found in soil, air, in the nose and mucus of human beings, was reported in India during the brutal second wave of coronavirus. It spreads through the respiratory tract and erodes facial structures. In severe cases, doctors have to operate on black fungus patients to surgically remove the eye to keep the infection from reaching the brain, and turning deadly.

Cases of black fungus have been cropping up in Egypt and Oman since the beginning of June, reported Reuters. Immunocompromised patients who are recovering from coronavirus are more likely to be infected by it. Use of certain over-the-counter medicines like steroids in treating the virus has also caused mucormycosis cases to rise.

Afghanistan has been struggling to treat patients as its crumbling healthcare infrastructure is unable to keep up with the rising number of daily cases. The country recorded 1,272 new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the country’s total number of infections to 124,757. 5,199 people are also believed to have succumbed to the virus since the pandemic started in February of last year, although the figures are believed to be massively underreported. The country is struggling to vaccinate its population through the UN-backed initiative of COVAX.