A doctor in Ghaziabad, India, checks the eyes of a patient with Mucormycosis. Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images The surge in COVID-

India's "black fungus" infections exacerbated by crowded hospitals, lack of oxygen

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2021-06-21 15:30:04

A doctor in Ghaziabad, India, checks the eyes of a patient with Mucormycosis. Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The surge in COVID-19 cases in India that resulted in cases of Mucormycosis, a "black fungus" infection, may have been caused by an excessive uses of steroids to treat patients, the New York Times reported Sunday.

Why it matters: “The pandemic has precipitated an epidemic," Bela Prajapati, an ear, nose and throat specialist, told the Times about the spread of black fungus infections.

The big picture: The alarming surge in COVID-19 cases in India, coupled with the country's oxygen shortages, prompted many doctors to resort to giving patients steroids in order to reduce inflammation in their lungs and ease breathing, sometimes to excessive levels, according to the Times.

The bottom line: "[F]our out of five Mucormycosis patients have had Covid-19. More than half have diabetes," reports the Times.