World Health Organization (WHO) declared a new variant of Covid-19 virus in India
Epidemic of new B.1617 variant of Covid-19 and Black Fungus is India
The irrepressible deaths due to World Health Organization (WHO)¹ declared B.1617 variant virus is on the way to breaking all other Covid-19 records. India became the first country to register more than 400,000 new cases² in a 24 hour period. WHO classifies Indian variant to be a global concern.
The new ‘Indian’ variant virus
The new ‘double mutant’ variant has been announced barely two months ago. Even though the name B.1617 or double mutant is not the fitting name for it because it actually carries 13 mutants.
B.1617 has been spreading like a wildfire in India. It is now the dominant strain in Maharashtra and southwestern India. Maharashtra has the second highest population among the states of India and it remains the worst affected states followed by Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh, Delhi.
The death toll rises in India
Last year in December the estimated cases were around 270 million people³. Three months later the new outbreak started and thus the new variant discovered. The official number of total cases is now 28.3 million, 26.2 million recovered and 335k died⁴. India is now the second highest country of Covid-19 cases after USA
On top of that to make this even worse, another outbreak of Black fungus started. People are getting infected by this more and more with every passing day. India reports more than 9,000 cases of this rare fungus⁵. Karnataka had 39 deaths and 1,250 cases reported.
What is Black Fungus
Mucromycosis is a rare fungal infection which is called the Black Fungus. It affects your eye, nose and sometimes the brain leading to a fatal situation. It is caused by exposure to mucor mould which is commonly found in soil and air and even in the nasal passages and mucus of humans.
People commonly mistaken Black Fungus to be contagious⁶, but it’s not. People with severely weakened immune systems are affected by this which includes people with Diabetes, cancer, HIV and skin injuries. If it is left untreated it can be fatal with a mortality rate of 54%⁷.
The connection between Black Fungus and Covid-19
The Corona virus (Covid-19) leaves it’s affected patients with a weaker immune system. A standard treatment of severe cases of Covid-19 is high dosage of steroids and even though it saves life but simultaneously also makes the immune system of the body weak which leads to the patient being more vulnerable to any bacteria or fungi.
Steroids⁸ reduce inflammation in the lungs for Covid-19 and appear to help stop some of the damage that can happen when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive to fight off coronavirus. But they also reduce immunity and push up blood sugar levels in both diabetics and non-diabetic Covid-19 patients.
Doctors say they are surprised by the extremity and the density of this fungal infection during the second wave, compared to the cases during the first wave last year. Some even believe Black Fungus to be one of the hidden reason behind this Covid-19 outbreak.
Symptoms and Precautions of Black Fungus
Symptoms⁹ of Black fungus includes pain, one sided facial swelling, nasal congestion, lack lesions on nasal bridge, fever, cough, headache, chest pain, nausea and vomiting shortness of breathe, blurred and even worse loss of vision. Eleven¹⁰ patients had to have their eyes removed surgically because of this.
Some common precautions are to use goggles and continue the previous Covid-19 adequate behaviors like social distancing, frequently washing hands. People with special circumstances like diabetes and on steroids or any kind of compromised immune system must control high blood sugar level and monitor the sugar level regularly.
References
1.WHO|https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57067190
2.New cases| https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56961940
3. People| https://fortune.com/2021/01/15/india-covid-vaccine-registration-campaign/
4.Died| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:COVID-19_pandemic_data
5.Fungus| https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57217246
8. Steroids| https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57027829
9. Symptoms
https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/mucormycosis/symptoms.html
10. Eleven| https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57027829