India grapples with over 27,000 active black fungus cases

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – India is grappling with over 27,000 active cases of a deadly fungal infection known as mucormycosis, an official statement said on Friday.

According to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, the government has enough drugs to treat the deadly fungal infection, commonly known as black fungus, with a high mortality rate.

“On June 16, active cases of mucormycosis were 27,142. India has increased domestic production of the drugs to treat the fungus,” Junior Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, responsible for chemicals and fertilizers, said in a statement.

The statement, however, did not disclose the total number of mucormycosis cases in the country.

On June 7, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had said the country had reported a total of over 28,000 cases with 86% of the patients having a history of the coronavirus.

While India is now recording a decline in the daily COVID-19 cases, the black fungus is posing a new health challenge in the South Asian nation.

In Mumbai, the country's financial hub, doctors had to remove one eye each in three children as they were infected with this deadly infection, local broadcaster NDTV reported.

Doctors in the country say they are now seeing a decline in patients with mucormycosis.

“The numbers have decreased. There is some 50% reduction in the cases," Prof. Naresh K. Panda, head of Department of Otolaryngology at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in northern India, told Anadolu Agency on Friday

“We expect the situation should be okay in a fortnight,” he added.​​​​​​​