What is mucormycosis?
It is a type of serious fungal infection that occurs most often in people with weakened immunity from an illness or chronic health condition.
Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul had said that mucormycosis is caused by a fungus named mucor, which is found on wet surfaces.
Why are Covid survivors vulnerable to the infection?
In pre-Covid times, the ‘black fungus’ mucormycosis used to be rare and seen mainly in immunocompromised people. However, after the pandemic, three factors have led to an exponential rise Covid itself, diabetes and abuse of steroids that lower immunity.
Dr Lahane said the fungal disease is already known but the cases are increasing because of Covid-19 related complications, wherein the use of steroids elevates the sugar level in blood while some medicines result in suppression of immunity of patients.
No big outbreak of COVID-triggered black fungus infection, says NITI Aayog member VK Paul
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Last Updated: May 07, 2021, 10:45 PM IST
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Addressing a press conference here, Paul said, The fungal infection called mucormycosis is being found in patients of COVID-19 disease. It is caused by a fungus named mucor, which is found on wet surfaces. It, to a large extent, is happening to people who have diabetes. It is very uncommon in those who are not diabetic. There is no big outbreak and we are monitoring it.
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Responding to a question on post-COVID deaths, Paul said secondary infection was one of the factors behind them and advised alertness even after acute COVID care.
Black fungus detected in Covid-19 patients, not big outbreak , says Niti Aayog
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If a diabetes patient is taking immune suppressive medicines, steroids, or has cancer, then the impact of black fungus is more on that person, Niti Aaayog said.
(HT PRINT)
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Niti Aayog has dismissed the reports that claim that Mucormycosis, a fungal infection is a big outbreak in the country. According to Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul, the fungal infection is common among those Covid-19 patients who are diabetic but assured that it s not a big issue. He said the union health ministry is monitoring the situation, and the treatment for mucormycosis is available.
No big outbreak of black fungus infection: Head of Covid-19 taskforce VK Paul
This comes a day after a leading private hospital in Delhi flagged the rising number of COVID-triggered mucormycosis or black fungus cases.
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NEW DELHI: Mucormycosis, a fungal infection, is being found in COVID-19 patients and largely in cases of those who are diabetic but there is no big outbreak , Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul said on Friday.
The situation is being monitored and the treatment for mucormycosis is available, he said.
This comes a day after a leading private hospital in Delhi flagged the rising number of COVID-triggered mucormycosis or black fungus cases.
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The government on Monday asked everyone to start wearing masks even inside homes in the wake of a ferocious second wave of Covid pandemic in India, but doctors and experts say that there should be some clear context in which this needs to be followed.
“If there is Covid positive case in the family, it is very important that the person wears a mask even indoors because the virus can spread to others at home,” Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul, who also heads the national Covid task force, had said in a press briefing by the Union Health Ministry on Covid status in India.