World
India records over 45,000 cases of ‘black fungus’ in last two months
India recorded over 45,000 cases of “black fungus” over the last two months, the health ministry said.
The country’s junior health minister, Bharati Pravin Pawar, told parliament that over 4,200 people had died of the fungus (mucormycosis).
The infection was previously considered very rare but cases have ballooned during the pandemic, usually striking COVID-19 patients after recovery.
It is a highly aggressive disease with a death rate of over 50%. Surgeons have been forced to remove eyes, the nose and jaw from patients to stop it from spreading to the brain.
According to government data, the highest number of cases were reported in the western state of Maharashtra at 9,348.
