40 cases (eight of whom lost their eyesight) in 15 days. Maharashtra follows with 52 deaths and health minister Rajesh Tope speculated that there might be 2,000 unverified cases in the state. Others, like Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, too, have been reporting an inferior number of cases so far.

Insufficient regulation of diabetes is the chief cause for the rising statistics, especially post-Covid. Also, patients whose immune systems are compromised, or those who have been involved in a surgery or a transplant, are on immunosuppressants, or have been on a ventilator for a long duration of time, are at greater risk.

ICMR said that doctors treating COVID-19 patients, diabetics and those with weakened immune systems should lookout for initial symptoms including sinus pain or nasal blockage on one side of the face, one-sided headache, inflammation or numbness, toothache and loosening of teeth to safeguard against black fungus infections.

The disease, which can cause blackening or discoloration over the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, breathing difficulties and coughing blood, is predominantly linked to diabetes. And diabetes can in turn be aggravated by steroids such as dexamethasone, used to treat extreme COVID-19 infections.

The government has not given any national data on mucormycosis but has said there is no major outbreak. Media reports have alluded to cases in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Experts think that the high number of diabetics in India can be one of the grounds for the large amount of cases.

What is Mucormycosis or Black Fungus?

Mucormycosis is a grave but unusual fungal infection caused by a group of molds called ‘Mucormycetes’. Mucormycetes live all over the environment and is abundant in nature. It can impact areas from where it can be inhaled—through the nose/ sinus/ lungs. If it enters from a wound or skin, then it can cause local infection, but if it enters from the sinus, it can distress the eyes and the brain.

While fungal infections are common among plants, only a very small segment of them attack humans. One reason is that animals, including humans, have developed sophisticated immune systems. However, when the immune system has been left vulnerable by another illness, fungi that are otherwise harmless take benefit and attack human tissues. These are called opportunistic infections.

When a patient whose immune system is weakened inhales Mucor spores, they may develop mucormycosis. This is a unusual, non-contagious disease – but it can be devastating or deadly if not treated swiftly. The incidence of mucormycosis infections has amplified in the last decade, primarily because of the greater number of organ transplants. People who have received transplanted organs depend on immunosuppressant drugs to keep their bodies from refusing the new organs, but in this state they are also susceptible to infection.

People suffering from COVID-19, HIV/AIDS and other viral diseases, congenital bone marrow disease, severe burns, cancers and untreated or erratically treated diabetes have decreased immunity and are susceptible to developing mucormycosis. COVID-19 patients who have taken steroids are mainly at peril because steroids subdue the immune system. This is why steroids should not be used if not absolutely crucial.

When Mucor assaults the sinuses, it spreads to the lungs, the brain and the central nervous system. Basic symptoms of the subsequent mucormycosis include fever, headache, reddish and swollen skin near the nose or eyes, facial pain, cough producing bloody or dark fluids, and shortness of breath. Doctors can detect it through a tissue biopsy and an X-ray scan of the lungs.

How to tackle the disease?

The two drugs most effective at handling mucormycosis are amphotericin B and posaconazole – provided the infection is found timely. However, it is hard to do because we don’t know of a consistent diagnostic characteristic of mucormycosis.

  • There are a few easy steps we can follow to diminish our risk of contracting mucormycosis. Instruct the general public about the disease.
  • We must from time to time sample the air in hospitals, particularly in the critical care wards, to check for the existence of spores.
  • We must confirm that the humidifiers used during oxygen therapy are disinfected.
  • Recovering patients should be counseled to remain indoors until they recover their usual strength and immunity.
  • Patients engaged in farming or gardening should be guided to lay off from work until the storm has passed.

The most effective way to thwart black fungus is to wear a mask while going out, exclusively to gardens and dusty areas or where one might come across rotting garbage or food. Furthermore, wear clothes that don’t expose our skin or expose it as little as possible. Most significantly, for diabetic and other immunocompromised people, regulating sugar levels and blood glucose is a necessity. People who have been suggested steroids should be continually monitored and the dosage should be decreased in session with the doctor.