Some COVID-19 Patients Have Been Infected With A ‘Black Fungus’

Some COVID-19 patients have been experiencing a “black fungus” infection, reports show.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement regarding “black fungus” reports, also known as the infection mucormycosis in some COVID-19 patients. UPI reports the infections were first spotted in India at the beginning of 2021.

The fungus comes from fungi that naturally occur in the body, and it is typically deemed harmless. However, it is said to be able to trigger sickness in people whose immune systems have become weaker as a result of the Coronavirus. Researchers say the fungus is hard to get rid of.

“During Sept. 17-24, 2021, three clinicians independently notified the Arkansas Department of Health [ADH] of multiple patients with mucormycosis after a recent diagnosis of COVID-19,” reports CDC researchers.

“People catch mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment [soil or decomposing leaves]. It can also develop on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn or other type of skin trauma,” reads a May statement from experts at the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

“Mucormycosis begins to manifest as skin infection in the air pockets located behind our forehead, nose, cheekbones, and in between the eyes and teeth,” the agency continued. “It then spreads to eyes, lungs and can even spread to the brain. It leads to blackening or discoloration over the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, breathing difficulties and coughing of blood.”

Researchers say surgery is required. “Treatment involves surgically removing all dead and infected tissue. In some patients, this may result in loss of upper jaw or sometimes even the eye. Cure may also involve a 4-6-week course of intravenous antifungal therapy. Since it affects various parts of the body, treatment requires a team of microbiologists, internal medicine specialists, intensivist neurologists, ENT specialists, ophthalmologists, dentists, surgeons and others.”