'Black fungus' complication adds to India's woes

'Black fungus' is adding to the woes of India's recovered COVID-19 patients.

The infection's medical name is mucormycosis, and hospitals have reported a rise in cases of the rare, but potentially fatal infection.

The disease can lead to blackening or discolouration over the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, breathing difficulties and coughing blood.

Some patients lose their sight completely.

Gopal's family member is currently fighting the infection.

"My sister-in-law recovered from COVID-19, her result came negative and after three, four days she had a headache and said she couldn't see anything. We took her to a nearby hospital in the Junagadh area, but, the doctor said her treatment was impossible there and asked us to come to Rajkot. The doctors in Rajkot said the fungus is spreading very fast and she needs an operation."

Mucormycosis is strongly linked to diabetes.

Diabetes can, in turn, be exacerbated by steroids, some of which are used to treat severe cases of COVID-19.

Here's Dr. Sankit Shah from Kiran Hospital.

"The immune system weakens after recovering from COVID-19. The patients who had diabetes, who were on steroids during COVID treatment for a long time, or who were admitted to ICU's, this 'Black Fungus' is detected in them due to their weak immunity."

The Indian Council of Medical Research says doctors treating COVID-19 patients, diabetics and those with compromised immune systems should watch for early symptoms.

Those include sinus pain, nasal blockage on one side of the face, one-sided headache,toothache and loosening of teeth.

Black fungus isn't exclusive to India, but experts say it is more common there.

The country has a high number of diabetes patients - many of whom have poorly controlled symptoms.

Serious cases of mucormycosis could require antifungal therapy and several operations.

India has not yet published national data on mucormycosis, but has said there is no major outbreak.