White Fungus: Is it deadlier than Black Fungus? causes, symptoms and prevention- All you need to know

After Black Fungus, another fungal infection in Covid-19 patients has been detected. This new infection has been dubbed as White Fungus. Four cases of White Fungus have been reported from Patna, Bihar. The latter is said to be more dangerous than the former as it affects the lungs along with other body parts such as the kidney, brain, private parts and etc.

All four persons infected by White Fungus showed coronavirus-type symptoms but they weren’t Covid-19 positive, said Chief of Microbiology at Patna Medical College and Hospital, Dr S N Singh.  

One of the four patients in Patna is a prominent doctor.

He added that but their lungs were found infected after tests, and recovered when given anti-fungal medicines, a leading news portal reported.

The white fungus also infects the lungs, which is similar to COVID-19 infection and is detected when HRCT is performed, doctors believe. It also impacts nails, skin, stomach, and other body parts.

In the similar lines of Black Fungus (mucormycosis), White Fungus too is dangerous, at least for those who have weak immunity. People suffering from diabetes and who are taking steroids are prone to be at higher risk to get infected by this new fungal infection, Singh said.

This new fungal infection is also impacting those covid-19 patients, who are on oxygen support. Doctors alert cancer patients to be more cautious as its directly affecting them, moreover, it also infects woman and children.

Dr Singh said that it is easy to prevent White Fungus infection by sanitising the oxygen or ventilator properly.  

Earlier on Thursday, the central government had directed all states to declare ‘black fungus’ or mucormycosis as an epidemic. Rajasthan, Telangana and Tamil Nadu have declared it as a notifiable disease under the epidemic act.  

“Union Health Ministry urged States to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897,” a news agency Asian News International (ANI) reported.