New Delhi: Black fungus, or also known as mucormycosis, cases are on the rise in the country. So far, as per the reports, around 9,000 cases of black fungus have been reported in the country. As if the battle against COVID19 wasn’t already enough, the black fungus cases are only adding to people’s woes. What can be worse than this you may think, right? Well, at a time like this, a right source of news is the least one could expect but several fake claims related to the black fungus are doing the rounds on the internet.

One such news that has been going viral on social media claims that people can cure mucormycosis or black fungus by using alum, turmeric, rock salt and mustard oil. But is the news real or fake? Let’s find out.

Can Turmeric, Alum, Rock Salt And Mustard Oil Cure Black Fungus? Find Out The Truth Here

On Monday this week, the team of PIB Fact Check called the message as ‘fake’. Yes, you read that right!

The viral video shows Dr Parameshwara Arora explaining the treatment of black fungus through these ingredients. He said that two drops of mustard oil mixed with potash alum, turmeric and rock salt powder can be consumed to cure the deadly fungal infection. However, the PIB Fact Check team has quashed the viral video, terming it as ‘FAKE’.

“Claim: Mucromycosis can be cured with alum, turmeric, rock salt and mustard oil. #PIBFactCheck: Claim is bogus because it has no scientific results. Please do not trust home remedies for the treatment of any such serious health problem,” the PIB Fact Check team wrote in a message on Twitter.

Check out the post here

What causes mucormycosis?

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, mucormycosis is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called micromycetes.

Health experts say that black fungus cases are being seen among COVID patients who were administered steroids to treat symptoms, and also among those who are suffering from diabetes and cancer.

As of now, Amphotericin-B, an anti-fungal drug is being used for the treatment of the black fungus disease. The Union Health Ministry, on May 20, urged the states to make mucormycosis, a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. The central government has made it mandatory for states to report both suspected and confirmed cases of black fungus to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).

Cases of black fungus infection are being reported in several parts of the country including Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Punjab among others. Delhi also reported more than 500 cases of black fungus till yesterday, as per Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

What are the symptoms of mucormycosis?

The medical experts ask patients to look out for:

  • Abnormal black discharge or crust, or bleeding from the nose
  • Nasal blockage
  • Headache
  • Eye pain
  • Swelling around the eyes, double vision, redness of eye, loss of vision, difficulty in closing eye, inability to open the eye, prominence of eye
  • Facial numbness or tingling sensation, difficulty in chewing or opening the mouth