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The country’s deputy health minister, Bharati Pravin Pawar, told parliament on Tuesday that more than 4,200 people had died from a fungal infection, which scientists call mucormycosis.
In the past, this infection was considered very rare, but the number of cases increased considerably during the coronavirus pandemic. Yeast infection is usually detected in patients recovering from COVID-19.
The disease develops very intensely, and patients often have to remove their eyes, nose, or jaw to prevent the infection from spreading to the brain.
More than 50 percent. the infected die.
According to the government, the highest number of cases, 9,348, was cleared up in the western state of Maharashtra.
Before the pandemic in India, an average of about 20 cases of mucormycosis were detected and the risk of infection was mainly limited to people with weak immunity. The highest risk group included people with high blood sugar levels, HIV patients, and organ transplant recipients.
Experts attribute the recent increase in mucus to excessive use of steroids in the treatment of COVID-19.
The Indian government declared the “black fungus” epidemic in May, with a significant increase in infections and social media inundated with desperate requests for cures for the disease.
Government figures released Tuesday show that the number of cases peaked in May and June, but fell sharply thereafter.
But the Hindustan Times reported on Monday that dangerous fungal infections are on the rise among children in the northern state of Rajasthan.
