The Covid-19 infections are been increasing at a very fast pace from past months. There is no particular treatment for the circulating Covid-19 strain yet. Vaccine may or may not produce the necessary protection. Already the patient’s immunity is compromised due to the usage of steroids for various symptoms of Covid-19. When any human immune system is compromised, there is every chance of getting other infections very easily and in particular fungal as well as bacterial infections.

The Black fungus, Mucormycosis is a common fungus which is spread through air, soil and food and infects sinuses, ears and enters into the respiratory tract easily causing fungal infection. But this fungus is of low grade in causing severe infections as said by Dr. Randeep Guleria, AIIMS chief. Deaths are causing to patients when their immunity is already lowered by Covid-19 infection making the fungal infection easily and totally infecting the body.

This situation is found in any immune compromised patient. Overuse or misuse of steroids can make the entry of almost all types of microorganisms into the body, likewise black fungus also enters as said by Dr. Suresh Kumar, Medical director of LNJP hospital in New Delhi. He also said that steroids if they are given to patient with oxygen levels over 90 then black fungus can easily affect them which is a possible side effect. The problem is, this fungus spreads very fastly in immune compromised patients and can be detected only in a CT scan. By the time the symptoms appear externally the patient dies of the fungal infection.

Covid-19 or Covid-19 recovered patients that are at high risk of mucormycosis infections in the following conditions

1. When they are in dusty or construction areas without any mask.
2. When they are not wearing any shoes or long sleeve shirts, long trousers, gloves while handling soil, gardening or manure works.
3. When the person having experience of prolonged hospital or ICU stay.
4. When they are diabetic, undergone surgeries, organ transplantation or suffering from cancer and under prolonged steroid medications.
5. When having fungal infected food and also unhygienic food.
6. When one is not maintaining personal hygiene in general and in particular when exposed to infection.

So, increasing individual immunity is a must through healthy diet , regular exercise and most importantly being strong mentally thereby giving body enough strength to fight naturally with the infections.