AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria on Saturday said that the COVID-induced Black Fungus infection, also known as mucormycosis (MM), generally attacks patients who have diabetes and take steroids during their COVID-19 treatment. He added that misuse of steroids is a major cause behind this infection.

Addressing a press conference, the top doctor said that with increasing coronavirus cases, secondary infections-fungal and bacterial- are causing more deaths. Mucormycosis has an overall mortality rate of 50%.

Also read: What is mucormycosis? Everything to know about the COVID-induced infection

Guleria added that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi is currently treating 23 patients infected with the fungal infection. “Out of them, 20 are still COVID-19 positive and the rest are negative for COVID. Many states have reported more than 500 cases of mucormycosis,” he said.

The AIIMS Director also said that Black Fungus was rare before the pandemic but is now emerging as a deadly disease due to COVID-19. 

“Mucormycosis spores are found in soil, air and even in food. But they’re of low virulence and usually don’t causes infection. There were very few cases of this infection before COVID. Now a large number of cases are being reported due to COVID.”

Also read: COVID vaccines in large amount to be available in 2 months: AIIMS director

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Health Secretary Dr Amit Negi told ANI that a state-level committee of doctors has been formed to study and find out the best treatment for mucormycosis. He added that drug controllers have been asked to procure sufficient known medicines so that citizens wouldn’t face any inconvenience.

Haryana, on the other hand, has declared fungal infection a notified disease in the state.

Notably, the rising cases of mucormycosis have also resulted in the shortage of Liposomal Amphotericin B, a key drug that is used to treat the infection.