Nagpur: As Mucormycosis is emerged as the new challenge, the District administration has also pulled up socks to tackle the fungal infection. As a precautionary measure, testing of sugar levels of Covid-19 patients will be done across the district and 1.5 lakh sugar testing kits have been purchased for the massive exercise. District Collector Ravindra Thakare informed ‘The Hitavada’ that the testing of Covid-19 patients would be conducted by health workers across the city from next week. Cured patients of Covid-19 will be tested by the health workers during the drive, he said and added that training for the drive has already begun.
After finding high sugar levels of patients, the health workers will offer them proper medication. The testing will be done sub-centers under Primary Health Care Centre, he said. It may be mentioned that 1,42,053 persons were tested positive for Covid-19 in Nagpur district till June 1. Whopping 2,290 patients died while battling with infection of the virus. According to statistics, a total of 1097 Covid-19 patients are infected with Mucormycosis till May 31. Of them, 97 breathed their last during treatment. Mucormycosis, known as ‘Black Fungus’, is a fungal infection that mainly affects people who are on medication for other health problems that reduces their ability to fight environmental pathogens. Sinuses or lungs of such individuals get affected after fungal spores are inhaled from the air. People with uncontrolled diabetes are most vulnerable for the black fungus.
It can be also triggered by the use of steroids in Covid-19 patients. The black fungus affects nose, eyes and brain of the patient. In the initial stage, the patient experience either nasal blockage or congestion, nasal discharge (bloody or brown/ black) and localised pain inside the nose. The patient will then start to develop facial pain, numbness or even swelling of the face.