Covid-19: First case of black fungus reported in Himachal Pradesh

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh on Thursday reported state's first case of mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH) in Shimla.
The patient is a 52-year-old woman from Hamirpur district.
She was referred to Shimla from Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College (SLBSGMC) Nerchowk in Mandi district.
IGMCH's medical superintendent Dr Janak Raj said the patient has comorbidity conditions like blood sugar and high blood pressure.
The woman had tested positive for Covid-19 on May 4.
Dr Janak Raj said that the woman complained of breathing problem on May 8.
“Her condition is now stable,” he added.
A government spokesperson said that state has already issued advisory regarding the prevention and management of black fungus disease in the hospitals.
He said that spores of black fungus are found throughout the environment even in the soil and air.
“It mainly affects people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness. It most commonly affects the sinuses or the lungs after inhaling fungal spores from the air,” he added.
He said that symptoms of black fungus include pain and redness around eyes/ or nose, fever, headache, coughing and shortness of breath.
People have been advised that the blood sugar levels in diabetic patients should be under control and the steroids should not be used indiscriminately for the purpose of Covid treatment, he said.