Black Fungus Poses threat to immunocompromised Patients

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 Medhavi, Chandigarh :

The rise in the number of black fungal cases among the COVID-19 patients has become a matter of concern.there has been a surge in cases of this fungal infection throughout the country and city is of no exception,  More than 25 patients are undergoing treatment in PGI and GMC sector 32. Although the ailing patients hail from the other states yet it poses the threat to the local residents also.

The rise in the number of black fungal cases among the COVID-19 patients is due to the high glucose levels due to steroids used for the treatment of coronavirus”. “The steroids used for the treatment tend to bring down the  count of lymphocytes hence weakening the immune system, making way for  opportunistic fungal infection.” says Dr. Jagadish Chandra (Consultant Microbiologist, GMCH 32), He also added that cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and others on immunosuppressant must be extra cautious as they are more prone to the disease. The infection usually causes blackening or discoloration over the nose, blurred or double vision, headache and difficulty in breathing. The symptoms may differ according to the sites it may infect. With a mortality rate of 50% it can be life threatening for immunocompromised patients. However, precautions must be taken by every individual, to sanitize, to mask up and maintain personal hygiene at all time.

Caused by a fungus called mucor. Earlier a rare infection with only 45-50 cases being reported nually in the country, has now been found to be affecting coronavirus patients, there has been a surge in cases of this fungal  infection throughout the country. The UT too has declared it as a notifiable  disease,

City fought back second wave more rigorusly

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Medhavi, Chandigarh :

This May has recorded recovery rate of 88.9% as compared to May 2020 which was 81.3%. Although the fatality rate has has dip yet the exponential increase in testing and contract tracing in city has helped in keeping the situation under control.

Chandigarh reported its first ever case for novel coronavirus on 19th March, 2020, of a 23 year old women who returned from UK. Ever since the trajectory has been on a rise, by the end of the month, 16 positive cases were reported. First fatality due to Covid-19 was registered on May 3rd ,2020. The city had an adulatory recovery rate of 81.3% with 178 recoveries out of 219 charted cases till May 22, 2020.

The City beautiful, till January 2021, logged 20021 positive cases, including 240 active cases, 322 fatalities and a recovery rate of 96.7%. Mid-Januarysaw a dip in the spread of the infection as the active case ratio remained below 1% and positivity rate remained below 3%. Up until 22nd May,2021, a total of 57737 confirmed cases with 5675 active cases, 680 fatalities and a recovery rate of 88.9% was registered. There has also been an exponential increase in recovery rate of 88.9%in the city. Setting up of 3 oxygen plants at GMCH 32, GMSH16 and COVID hospital at Sector 48, with setting up micro-containment zones in the city has helped the front liners to battle the virulent virus.