Union minister Sadananda Gowda, on May 23 revealed that more than 9,000 cases of black fungus infection popularly known as Mucormycosis have been reported in India. As the number of black fungus infections is rising drastically, the central government has sent over 23,000 additional vials of a key drug used for the treatment of the fungal infection to the affected states. As scare looms up, a top medical expert has urged authorities to probe into the usage of zinc and the rise in black fungus cases.
The link between Zinc and Mucormycosis
Zinc supplements are being widely used in treating coronavirus infection, and experts believe that this could be one of the reasons behind the drastic surge in Mucormycosis cases in the country.
Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) reveals that the presence of metals like zinc and iron could provide a suitable environment for the black fungus to grow in the human body.
The medical expert also urged to conduct serious investigations to determine the connections between zinc and the rise in mucormycosis cases to figure out concrete conclusions and credible solutions.
Who is more prone to black fungus infection?
Black fungus infection was among us over several years, but it is after the coronavirus second wave that medical experts witnessed a rise in Mucormycosis cases. AIIMS director Dr. Sandeep Guleria recently revealed that secondary infections are common among Covid patients, and if these patients contract black fungus infection, mortality and morbidity could rise drastically.
Mucormycosis could affect the eyes, nose, and brain of the affected persons, and in the worst cases, it could cause vision loss and even death.
In the meantime, coronavirus positive cases in India have slightly plummeted over the past few days. On May 22, India witnessed over 2.57 lakhs fresh Covid cases and 3,741 deaths.
