Black fungus claims first victim in J&K
Jammu: A 40-year-old patient infected with Mucormycosis or black fungus having recently “recuperated” from COVID-19 died at Government Medical College Jammu on Friday, making it the first fatality of its type in J&K.
The patient who was admitted to GMC hospital has succumbed to the infection, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo was quoted as saying by PTI.
Giving details, Principal of GMC hospital Dr Shashi Sudan Sharma said the man suffered from a high degree of diabetes of 900 level and was immunocompromised. He must have taken a lot of steroids resulting in the uncontrollable diabetes level resulting in diabetic ketoacidosis syndrome, she said.
The patient had tested negative of COVID-19 before he was admitted to hospital for the fungal infection.
She said this is an avoidable complication which can be restricted by strictly monitoring the blood sugar levels of COVID-19 patients who have been put on steroids, which was being undertaken by doctors at the hospital.
But his condition was bad when he was admitted into hospital, she pointed out.
Sharma said there is no need to panic regarding the transmission as this disease does not spread like COVID-19. “We have so far just detected this single case only. So, people are advised not to panic”, she said.
