The detection of another black fungus patient, third such patient in the country, at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) have been unofficially confirmed.
The 45-year-old man from Khulna underwent an operation last Thursday, confirmed Prof Dr Sheikh Nurul Fattah Rumi, the head of DMCH Ears, Nose and Throat Department.
Dr Rumi, who operated on the patient, said: “The patient was referred to us from the Department of Medicine on suspicion of black fungus, after he was admitted there with post Covid-19 complications. We successfully conducted a sinus operation on him last Thursday."
The patient was undergoing treatment at DMCH for the past few weeks with headache, sinusitis and difficulty seeing in his right eye.
“Although, we identified mucous mycosis or black fungus in the patient’s histopathology, microscopy, and culture reports, we are still waiting for some post-operative reports to confirm the information officially,” he added.
On May 25, authorities concerned had confirmed the detection of the first two cases of black fungus at the capital's Birdem General Hospital in patients who had recovered from Covid-19.
Black fungus, also known as mucormycosis, is normally a rare infection which has a mortality rate of 50%. In severe cases, the fungus affects the eyes, nose, face, lungs, and even the brain.
In recent months, thousands of cases involving recovered and recovering Covid-19 patients have been recorded in India.
According to doctors, there is a link with the steroids used to treat Covid-19 while diabetics are at particular risk. The fungus seems to strike 12 to 18 days after recovery from Covid-19.
