Black fungus infections have sparked a new epidemic in India as cases grow among patients suffering from diabetes. India doctors have discussed a possible connection between the affliction in Delta strain patients and the overuse of steroids. Channel 4 News spoke with one Indian doctor who has been investigating the theory who warned that steroid use to treat coronavirus may lie behind the fresh epidemic.
Dr Sumit Mrig told Channel 4 News: “Most of the patients which we were seeing were covid recoveries.
“Almost 85 to 90 percent of them were diabetics.
“Patients who are diabetics have been at the most receiving end and let me tell you 13.6 percent of the Indian population who are pre-diabetics have become diabetics in this second wave.
“Because of unscrupulous use of steroids.”
Dr Mrig has been studying black fungus and believes a toxic combination is at play in India, according to Channel 4 News.
“The key common factors are the Delta strain and diabetes, ” said Channel 4 reporter Mandakini Gahlot.
“Which has been made worse by the overuse of steroids as a treatment for Covid.”
Mucormycosis, known as “black fungus” causes a blackening of the skin around the nose as well as breathing difficulties.
Mr Tickoo told DW News: “Mucormycosis has a high mortality rate especially for patients who don’t get diagnosed early enough.
“It has more than 50 percent mortality.
“Most of the time it involves surgery which can be disfiguring especially with the commons variety that we see rhinocerebral mucor.
“Where we have to remove the dead tissue from the face.”