Covid-19 Triggering Rare, Deadly Fungal Infection, Claims Delhi's Ganga Ram Hospital
News 18Doctors at a leading private facility here have found multiple cases in recovering coronavirus patients, who were diagnosed with a deadly fungal infection “triggered by COVID-19”, due to which nearly half of them lost their eyesight, hospital authorities claimed on Monday. In the last 15 days, ENT surgeons at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital have seen 13 cases of “COVID-19-triggered mucormycosis”. “In the last 15 days, ENT surgeons have seen 13 cases of COVID-19-triggered mucormycosis in over 50 per cent patients, with loss of eyesight, and removal of nose and jaw bone needed,” it said. According to Manish Munjal, senior ENT surgeon, at the hospital, The frequency with which we are witnessing the occurrence of COVID-19-triggered mucormycosis with high morbidity and mortality has never been seen before and is shocking and alarming.” Varun Rai, consultant ENT surgeon at SGRH said, “Early clinical suspicion on symptoms such as nose obstruction, swelling in the eye or cheeks, and black dry crusts in the nose should immediately prompt the conduct of a biopsy in the OPD and start of the antifungal therapy as early as possible.” Delhirecorded 1,376 fresh COVID-19 cases on Monday, the lowest in over three-and-a-half months, even as the death toll mounted to 10,074 with 60 new fatalities.