'Black fungus can affect only those whose immunity level drops due to Covid'

kolkata: With cases of black fungus or Mucormycosis being reported in the state, doctors in the city have urged people not to get panicked. They have pointed out that unlike Covid where the virus has a capacity of transmitting to others; black fungus can affect only those whose immunity level drops below a certain level due to Covid.

Those who were on steroids for long and have uncontrolled diabetes have to be little cautious, warned doctors. The Health department has already published guidelines in this regard."When a disease is treated with lots of medicines, antibiotics and with steroids, some opportunistic infections like Mucormycosis can come up. It happens only in those who have compromised immune status. Some of the sources may be humidifiers that are used in oxygen cylinders. Care needs to be taken in case of Covid, changing the mask and cleaning the mask," said Dr Gopeswar Mukherjee an expert in the field.

Mucormycosis is a rare serious fungal infection caused by fungus called 'mucor'. People can get infected by coming in contact with its spores in the environment.

A 32-year-old woman, who died at Sambhunath Pandit Hospital with symptoms, is suspected to be a case of black fungus. Bengal probably has lost its first victim to black fungus infection and around 7 are reported to be infected while 8 others are suspected to have contracted the new infection, as per the Health department.

This has raised an alarm among people as black fungus becomes another cause of concern.The Centre on Thursday decided to bring the disease under the notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. The Union Health Ministry has already asked all states to declare the outbreak of black fungus infection as an epidemic.

A 34-year-old man from Alipurduar, a suspected case of black fungus has been admitted at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH). He had been infected with Covid and steroids were administered on him. He was taken to the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology as he developed pain around his eyes and visibility level dropped. Doctors in the hospital suspect that he might have been infected with black fungus. Three other patients have been admitted at CMCH with similar issues. The expert committee is examining these cases."State has confirmed around seven black fungus infected cases till Saturday and eight suspected cases are there. It is yet to be confirmed whether the other eight are infected with the black fungus. The patient who died in Sambhunath Pandit hospital is under the list of suspects. We have already sent the details to the expert committee," Director of Health Services, Dr Ajay Chakraborty said.