Misbah Ali

As government data showed that Black fungus cases exceeded COVID-19 infections in the national capital, Dr. Jugal Kishore, Director Prof. Head of Department of Community Medicine,

Safdarjung Hospital debates in an exclusive conversation with Drug Today Medical Times (DTMT)’s Misbah Ali, that the cases have not risen but they were already present in the body as the Black fungus is a part of the virus, and it takes time to be cured.

“Delhi reported more than 200 COVID-19 cases in the month of June which eventually decreased over a while because Coronavirus is a short-term disease and once the RT-PCR tests negative the patient is no more infected with Coronavirus,” said Dr. Jugal Kishore.

Clarifying the official figures in the government data, Dr. Kishore added, “The Black Fungus was a part of all those 200 COVID patients to a certain extent and it is a chronic disease which takes time to be cured, therefore, it is not like there is a surge in the Black Fungus cases but in reality, they were already present in the COVID positive patient.”

According to government data, the national capital recorded over 1,650 cases of mucormycosis or black fungus till July 6, 2021. Out of these, it had 952 active cases of the black fungus disease, till the mentioned date.

Mucormycosis or Black fungus, which is usually found in the nasal, oral, and orbital cavity, invaded the brain of some patients and turned into cerebral fungus, thereby causing their death – this mostly included the patients who without a doctor’s prescription took steroids and used oxygen cylinders at home while they were infected with the virus.

Asking about how the use of Corticosteroids causes Black Fungus, Dr. Kishore said, “Corticosteroids weaken your immune system and when your immune system is already weak then you can contract any infection very easily. It aggravates even a minute infection, Black Fungus or any type of fungal infection that emerges after the use of the Corticosteroids, and your immune system can’t fight the fungus because it has already abated your immune, therefore allowing the fungus to aggravate.”

Informing about Black, white, yellow, and green fungus, Dr. Kishore said that they are just different characteristics but have similar categories and they are always in our interaction.

“Fungus is like a mold. You will find different types of fungus in the environment. There are different varieties of diseases. These funguses have different characteristics but have similar broad categories, and their colors also change,” Dr. Kishore said.

“As they are always present around us, so they always remain in our interaction. That is why you will find them in different colors. It is not that these funguses came one after the other, but they were already present in our environment and are in continuous movement,” Dr. Kishore added.

According to the government data, India had seen a total of 40,845 cases of black fungus until 28 June, of which 31,344 are rhinocerebral in nature, and the death toll from the infections stands at 3,129.