COVID-19 triggering rare, deadly fungal infection, claims Ganga Ram hospital

Doctors at a leading private facility in New Delhi have found multiple cases in recovering coronavirus patients, who were diagnosed with a deadly fungal infection "triggered by COVID-19", due to which nearly half of them lost their eyesight, hospital authorities claimed on Monday.

In the last 15 days, ENT surgeons at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) have seen 13 cases of "COVID-19-triggered mucormycosis".

This alarming affliction, although rare, is not new. What is new is COVID-19 triggering mucormycosis, they said.

Black Fungus or mucormycosis has been a cause of disease and death of patients in transplants, and ICU and immunodeficient individuals since long.

However, it is the rapid increase in the numbers seen in unsuspected recovering COVID-19 patients that is causing the grave concern, the SGRH said in a statement.

"In the last 15 days, ENT surgeons have seen 13 cases of COVID-19-triggered mucormycosis in over 50 per cent patients, with loss of eyesight, and removal of nose and jaw bone needed," it said.

Mortality is currently being seen in the range of 50 per cent (five patients), with certain deaths when there is involvement of brain, the hospital authorities said.

Doctors had to do these resections 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 associated complications. There also have been five mortalities so far in this subgroup, the statement said.

According to Manish Munjal, senior ENT surgeon, at the hospital, The frequency with which we are witnessing the occurrence of COVID-19-triggered mucormycosis with high morbidity and mortality has never been seen before and is shocking and alarming."

Varun Rai, consultant ENT surgeon at SGRH said, Early clinical suspicion on symptoms such as nose obstruction, swelling in the eye or cheeks, and black dry crusts in the nose should immediately prompt the conduct of a biopsy in the OPD and start of the antifungal therapy as early as possible .

Delhi recorded 1,376 fresh COVID-19 cases on Monday, the lowest in over three-and-a-half months, even as the death toll mounted to 10,074 with 60 new fatalities.

The positivity rate dropped to 2.15 per cent from 2.74 per cent on Sunday, authorities said.

The Monday bulletin said 5,83,509 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far.