Those Who Have Recovered From COVID, Watch Out For Mucormycosis aka Black Fungus

Here’s a post-COVID alert – watch out for symptoms of Mucormycosis, also called Black Fungus. Catch the symptoms early, save lives. 

This is an appeal for all those who have returned after defeating COVID in hospital. Even if you are free from the virus, you still have to stay alert. Because of the medication used for most serious COVID cases, especially steroids, your immunity might be suppressed for a while, which makes it easy for opportunistic infections like Mucormycosis.

One of my colleague’s husband took his post COVID symptoms lightly and even their doctor did. He is now in need of a surgery due to a rare but dangerous infection. He is currently hospitalized and my colleague is in extreme distress. Having learnt about their ordeal, I felt the need to write about it.

Once you’re better, while there might be some post COVID issues like generalized weakness and occasional mild cough, there are some symptoms one must watch out for and immediately seek consultation for as and when they appear. Ignoring these symptoms might land you back in hospital with a far poorer prognosis than COVID itself.

What is Mucormycosis?

What I am talking about is a rare disease called Mucormycosis which is caused by a variety of fungus, the spores of which are everywhere, and enter our body through air and cause disease.

Normally, these are not potent enough to affect our body but due to steroids used in COVID and especially in those already suffering from immunocompromised state such as diabetes mellitus, AIDS/HIV etc, these fungi make use of low immunity and cause infection.

How do you suspect Mucormycosis?

So, if after returning from COVID hospital, you come across any of the symptoms such as headache, eye ache, nasal congestion, nasal discharge, face pain, jaw pain, any painful swelling in face or jaw, fever etc, do not hesitate and immediately seek an appointment with either an ENT surgeon or a general physician.

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Mucormycosis is a rare but highly dangerous infection, and spreads quickly, leading to quick deterioration of health and eventually hospitalization. If it spreads to blood vessels or brain, it can prove fatal. Mucormycosis needs treatment in form of anti-fungals and surgical intervention like debridement and must not be taken lightly.

Be informed, be safe

Dear friends, today when we are in midst of a raging pandemic, correct information is our one true saviour. Use of steroids in COVID cannot be stopped so it is not possible to prevent mucormycosis, but with alertness and with proper knowledge, we can identify its symptoms as early as possible and stop the infection from developing into a fatal disease.

With the rise in number of cases of  Mucormycosis post COVID infection, it is imperative that the government must release infomercials for public and post COVID protocols for health institutions to follow so that this highly fatal disease can be detected at the earliest.

Share this info, save people

Friends, correct information is priceless and information about Mucormycosis is essential in today’s perspective.

The right info, if shared can help many COVID survivors get alert and identify this deadly infection before it spreads and turns fatal. Armed with proper knowledge, we can save countless lives from this fungal infection and possibly stop another pandemic from wrecking our homes. So let’s educate ourselves and each other so that we can save our own lives and also those of our near ones.

Stay alert, Stay informed. 

Image source: Counselling on Pixabay

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