Many In India Suffers From 'Black Fungus' After COVID-19

After a devastating second wave of Covid-19 in India by which its overall death toll reaches almost 400,000, thousands who caught the virus also suffered from "black fungus" or ‘mucormycosis’, a rare fungal disease.

The South Asian country with over 30.4 million confirmed Covid-19 infections, second only to the United States has till now confirmed more than 40,845 cases of mucormycosis.

The family of Saheb Rao Shinde thought their calamity was over when the 65-year-old got recovered from Covid-19 last month in western India. However, after a few weeks, the revenue-stamp seller lost sight in one eye.

Many others like Shinde may never be able to recover their sight after the ‘black fungus’ disease which causes blurred or double vision, blackening or discoloration over the nose, breathing difficulties, chest pain, and coughing blood.

"My father was fit and healthy, but now he doesn't feel like eating" stated his daughter, who did not want her name to be mentioned. "His teeth have also been removed, it's very sad."

Shinde, who belongs to the arid western Indian region of Marathwada, will continue his work after his recovery from this, his daughter told Reuters (an international news organization) in Mumbai.

Reuters had spoken to many other sufferers of mucormycosis across India.

Another victim of ‘black fungus’, Adesh Kumar, a 39-year-old farmer lost sight in his left eye. He lives in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. He had to borrow money, secured against some of his lands to pay for the medicine.

India ordered strict observation of mucormycosis in May as it intensified the challenge for Covid-19 patients, specifically with steroid therapy and diabetes.

According to experts, an over usage of certain drugs which suppress the immune system could be the reason behind the surge of the fungal infection.

Read more: Black Fungus Situation Not Alarming In Pakistan: Health Expert

" A lot of mucormycosis cases post-Covid infections are here, as Covid itself decreases the immunity," stated Charuta Mandke of the ophthalmology department at Dr. R N Cooper Municipal General Hospital in Mumbai.