Bhubaneswar: Even as the Covid-19 pandemic is not showing any sign of calming down, the detection of first-ever black fungus (mucoromycosis) infection in the state has added to the worries of all concerned.
According to sources, the mucoromycosis case was detected in a 71-year-old male Covid patient from Jajpur district. The patient is now stable and no similar cases were reported anywhere.
Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) and Director of Public Health Monday visited the patient, who was under treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.
As per their visiting note, the patient from Jajpur district is having uncontrolled diabetic. His throat swab was taken April 18 as one of his family members tested positive for the novel coronavirus. He was put in home isolation. He complained of swelling in eyes and blackish discharge from nose May 8, 2021.
The two directors, who are also senior doctors, said, “Since literature suggests increased incidence of mucoromycosis in Covid patients because of increased steroid use, in absence of such history direct link cannot be established between Covid infection and mucoromycosis in instant case.”
But on the other hand the patient is a diabetic, which is a known risk factor for mucoromycosis, they said.
The occurrence of mucoromycosis in the elderly man may be an isolated case who has contracted the virus during his home isolation by using old air cooler (not used for quite some time & water not changed), they said.
The Health department team advised the hospital authorities to follow necessary protocol in order to prevent contamination of hospital equipment and transmission to other patients. The hospital authorities were directed to report to the Director Public Health if any such case is detected further.
