India records more than 4,300 ‘black fungus’ mucormycosis deaths

Over 4,300 people have died in India of the deadly “black fungus” in a growing epidemic which mostly affects Covid-19 patients.

The fungus affects the eyes, nose and sometimes the brain, usually striking 12-18 days after recovery from Covid.

Doctors have said the condition has a link with the steroids used to treat Covid, with diabetic patients at particular risk.

Steroids are used to reduce inflammation in the lungs of Covid-19 patients and appear to help reduce the damage that can happen when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive to fight off the coronavirus.

However, they also reduce immunity and push up blood sugar levels in both diabetics and non-diabetic Covid-19 patients.

It is believed that the drop in immunity may be triggering cases of mucormycosis in diabetes or severely immunocompromised individuals, such as cancer patients.

Dr Raghuraj Hegde, an eye surgeon who has treated a number of patients in Bangalore, said that there had been “massive undercounting of both cases and deaths” from the disease.

He went on to say “Typically, deaths in mucormycosis occur weeks to months after getting the disease. Our present systems are not good to capture that data.”

Dr Akshay Nair, a Mumbai-based eye surgeon, said “We are seeing patients who were treated aggressively for the disease and discharged from hospital returning with a recurrent infection which is manifesting in wider spread of the disease in the eye or brain.”

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events. Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Freephone : 0800 304 7382