NEW DELHI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- As cases of black fungus began to rise in India amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, federal health minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday said awareness about the rare infection and its early diagnosis can reduce its spread.
"Mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus, has been observed in a number of COVID-19 patients recently. Awareness and early diagnosis can help curb the spread of fungal infection," Vardhan wrote on social media to raise awareness about the disease.
Black Fungus infections have come to light among patients who are recovering or recovered from COVID-19 infection.
The minister also shared four posters related to the symptoms, patients who are more vulnerable to the disease and general advisory related to the disease.
According to India's federal health ministry, Mucormycosis, or black fungus, is a complication caused by fungal infections.
"People catch mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. It can also develop on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn, or another type of skin trauma," the ministry said.
Mucormycosis cases are pouring in from many states including Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Health experts said it affects the sinuses, the brain and the lungs and can be life-threatening in diabetic or severely immunocompromised individuals, such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS.
India has been hit by a devastating second wave of COVID-19 infections.
The health ministry on Friday morning said 343,144 new COVID-19 cases and 4,000 related deaths were registered in the past 24 hours across the country. Enditem
