Misfortune Never Comes Alone - The New “Black Fungus” Accompanying COVID-19 Wave

Abstract

Mucormycosis is a rare angio-invasive illness caused by the fungi Mucorales, which is often seen in immune-compromised patients. Rhino-orbitocerebral, cutaneous, disseminated, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary forms of this unusual fungal infection exist. Dr. Akshay Nair, a Mumbai-based eye surgeon, was waiting to operate on a 25-year-old woman who had recovered from Covid-19 three weeks prior on 8^th May 2021 morning. He inserted a tube into her nose and was scraping mucormycosis-infected tissues, an uncommon but harmful fungal infection. The nose, eye, and even the brain are all affected by this violent infection. Doctors are now registering a number of cases involving a mysterious infection - also known as the "black fungus" among returning and recovered Covid-19 patients as a deadly second wave of Covid-19 ravages India.