Rare Black Fungal Disease Causing Blindness In COVID-19 Patients

Mumbai: A rare and deadly fungal disease called mucormycosis has been detected in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

What’s alarming is that this black fungus is believed to have been triggered by COVID-19. ENT surgeons at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) in Delhi have reported this.

Nine mucormycosis patients out of 44 have died in Ahmedabad, according to a report in India Today. The disease also resulted in eyesight loss for some.

Black fungus has long been known to cause deaths, albeit rarely, of patients undergoing transplants, and those in ICU and immunodeficient.

However, the rapid increase in this disease in recovering COVID-19 patients is of grave concern, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said in a statement.

“In the last 15 days, ENT surgeons have seen 13 cases of COVID-triggered mucormycosis in over 50 per cent patients, with loss of eyesight, and removal of nose and jaw bone needed,” the hospital said.

The death rate is currently 50 per cent.

The infection paralyses muscles around the eye’s pupils and leads to blindness. It can also spread to the brain and cause meningitis. However, early treatment can cure patients.

Varun Rai, consultant ENT surgeon at SGRH said, “Early clinical suspicion on symptoms such as nose obstruction, swelling in the eye or cheeks and black dry crusts in the nose should immediately prompt the conduct of a biopsy in the OPD and start of the antifungal therapy as early as possible.”