With black fungus or mucormycosis cases increasing across the country, the Centre has asked states and Union Territories to declare it as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
Mucormycosis is a rare serious fungal infection caused by fungus Mucor. People can get infected by coming in contact with black fungus spores present in the environment.
According to an official advisory, the infection can also develop in the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, abrasion, burn, or other types of skin trauma.
Symptoms of the disease
Nasal blockage, facial or cheekbone pain, blackish and foul-smelling nasal discharge, congestion or redness and swelling of eyes and nose and impaired vision are a few of the main symptoms of the disease reported by patients who are undergoing Covid-19 treatment.
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The other symptoms are headache and fever, seizures, altered mental state, cough, and blood-stained sputum, shortness of breath with worsening respiratory problem, toothache, loosening of teeth, and blackish discoloration in the skin with Necrosis (death of cells or tissue through disease or injury).
How to safeguard oneself against black fungus infection?
To prevent black fungus infection in Covid-19 patients doctors suggest better control of the sugar levels during COVID with or without steroids, judicious use of steroids observing correct timing, correct dose and correct duration, use of clean or sterile water for humidifiers during the oxygen therapy.
People have also been urged to use masks while visiting dusty construction sites, wear shoes, long trousers, long sleeve shirts, and gloves while handling garden soil, moss or manure, maintain personal hygiene and seek immediate medical attention in case they develop any of the abovementioned symptoms.
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(With PTI inputs)
