With 50pc mortality, 50pc eyesight loss, covid triggered deadly Mucormycosis fungus worry health fraternity

By Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], December 14 : In a post covid recovery, the ENT surgeons at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital have come across more than 12 cases of coronavirus triggered deadly Mucormycosis fungus within 15 days, which causes loss of eyesight, removal of the nose and jaw bone and 50 per cent mortality, where there is brain involvement.
The ENT and Eye team at Sir Ganga Ram have had to do resections procedure in about 10 patients over the last fortnight, with about 50 per cent losing their eyesight permanently. Five of these patients required critical care support, due to other associated complications. So far, there also have been five unfortunate mortalities in this subgroup, according to the official version of Ganga Ram Hospital.
As per the experts, Covid-19 patients are more susceptible to this virus, adding that it is there in the air. They say that it is a ubiquitous fungus and is present in the plant, animal and air but it is attacking covid recovered patients because they have been given steroids and have co-morbidities, which make is even worse.
Dr. Manish Munjal, Senior ENT surgeon at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital told ANI, "This is a virus and comes in people with a weak immune system. This fungus comes into the body and destroys the part where it is coming. The post covid patients are given a large dose of steroids to decrease the Cytokine storm it allows opportunistic fungal infections like deadly Mucormycosis to enter the body."
"It allows Mucormycosis to travel through the nose root to the eyes and brain and if undetected it can lead to the death of over 50 per cent cases in a matter of days. Also, it can lead to huge loss of medical morbidities like loss of the eyes, jaw bones and cosmetic disfigurement," said Dr. Munjal.
If detected early, one can prevent the loss through early clinical intervention.
According to Dr Shaloo Bageja, a Senior Eye surgeon of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, "Orbital involvement is a grave development in the course of this disease, and points not only towards the possibility of permanent loss of eyesight but life as well because brain involvement is the leading cause of death in mucormycosis."
The symptoms are face numbness, one side nose obstructions or swelling of eyes, or pain. The ENT surgeon here take samples for culture and start definitive medical treatment which might prevent medical loss.
However, the doctors stated that the treatment should be early and prompt as patients are already weakened up because of covid and require long hospitalization.