Though the second wave of Covid-19 has subsided, and the city has opened up again, the threat of the Black Fungus still looms around. Black Fungus affects diabetic patients and individuals who have recovered from Covid-19. As the city sees a drop in Covid-19 cases, Black Fungus seems to have been forgotten. At least 2-3 cases of Black Fungus are still being reported every day in Vizag.
On Wednesday, three cases were reported in the city, taking the total to 358. Of the total number of cases reported till now, 32 have died while 246 patients have recovered. Currently, more than 40 patients, affected with Black Fungus, are under treatment at government and private hospitals in Vizag. Speaking to Yo! Vizag, Andhra Medical College Principal, Dr PV Sudhakar said, “We have 24 Black Fungus cases at King George Hospital and 8 cases at ENT Hospital. We are getting 2 cases on an average everyday. While 90 percent of the cases are Covid-19 affected patients, 10 percent cases are in patients with no evidence of Covid-19”.
Cases of Black Fungus started reporting in the city when there was a high recovery rate seen in Covid-19 affected patients. Many who recovered from Covid-19 started to show symptoms of Black Fungus. There were patients who had undergone treatment, stayed in hospitals for long, and were administered with Amphotericin B 50 mg/ Posaconazole, which are drugs for treatment of Black Fungus.
Covid-19 recovered patients have been told to be alert on any changes occurring in their health, and report to a hospital immediately, if Black Fungus symptoms are seen. Doctors have advised the citizens to get vaccinated, wear masks while being outside and strictly follow Covid-19 norms.
When a patient is infected with Black Fungus, it takes a few hours for the infection to spread to other parts of the body starting from the eyes, nose, neck, and internal parts of the body. Reportedly, a majority of the fatalities have occurred when the fungus entered the brain of the patients, resulting in a coma.
As per the clinical protocol, Black Fungus cases have been differentiated into three categories as mild, moderate and severe cases. City hospitals are getting a supply of two drugs, Amphotericin B 50 mg and Posaconazole, which come in both IV and tablet forms. It has been instructed by the AP Health Department to give the drug through IV for those patients with severe fungus spread all over the body for the first week while moderate patients are to be given tablets.
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