In recent days, news of the “black fungus” has been viral through social media in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other Arab countries.
Rumors about the black fungi spread through the posts and tweets.
Many speak about a new epidemic and think its a virus in which anyone gets infected with dies or at least lose vision.
So, what is the truth of this new pandemic?
What is black fungus?
Also known as a musty fungus. A very rare infection, caused by exposure to rotting usually found in soil, plants, fruits, and decaying vegetables
The musty fungus affect the brain and lungs and can threaten the lives of people with diabetes or severely immunodeficient people, such as cancer patients or people infected with AIDS.
No medication and the only solution remove the eyes
The black fungi enter the body through the respiratory system, infects the nose, mouth, eyes, and lungs, and may spread to the brain.
If the detection of the infection is early, doctors can use antifungal intravenous injections to treat it.
In India, for example, an intravenous antifungal injection costs 3,500 rupees (equivalent to 48$) per dose per day.The patient needs it for up to 8 weeks, it is a price many families cannot afford to pay. And the price could reach much more if they had to buy it on the black market.
Doctors in India say most cases arrive too late and may not arrive until the patient has lost sight.
In such cases, doctors do not have surgical intervention to remove the eye, nose, or upper jaw to prevent mold from reaching the brain.
Why the black fungus associated with the corona epidemic?
Black fungus talk began days ago, with India announcing an accelerated spread of the disease among those infected and recovering from coronavirus.
Health authorities in India announced that the number of cases of the deadly black fungus exceeded 8,800. As a continuing outbreak of the disease threatens to turn into an epidemic in the country.
So, many have linked the disease to the coronavirus and expressed fear that it would spread in their countries as the corona epidemic spreads.
How do the black fungi work?
The immunity of people infected with coronavirus is weak as it disrupts the body’s defense systems, making it easier for fungi to enter and spread in the body.
Doctors say that certain medications and treatment protocols for covid-19 contribute to weakening the body’s immunity, such as intensive use of cortisone.
Covid-19 has nothing to do with the black fungi!
But the corona is not the only disease that weakens the body’s immunity. So black fungus and other fungi don’t only target those infected with Covid.
It also targets people with and recovering from cancer whose immunity has been weakened by treatment, people with AIDS, and some cases of chronic diabetes, among others.
Another factor that contributes to the weakening of the body’s immunity, is the misuse of antibiotics without consulting a doctor.
Is it true that the infection is spreading in the Arab countries?!
In Egypt:
After days of conflicting information about whether or not black fungus spread in Egypt. Whether health institutions ready to deal with it, the undersecretary of the health governorate in Egypt, Mohamed Ali, said that isolation rooms equipped for any case of black fungus in Matrouh Najila hospital.
Ali noted that providing a room inside Al-Najila hospital to isolate those infected with black fungus is a precautionary measure. And there no cases of infection have been documented so far.
Ali added that doctors know the disease because it is not new. But doctors still waiting for a treatment protocol for its appearance in cases of people infected with the coronavirus or recovering from it.
What does black fungus have to do with Samir Ghanem’s death?
Talk of black fungus on social media in Egypt has been linked to the death of comedy star Samir Ghanem, who was in hospital because of coronavirus.
Media immediately after his death announced that he had died of coronavirus.
Ghanem got cured of the coronavirus but most likely died from the side effects of the epidemic on kidney function. But the most widespread statement about the cause of the beloved star’s death was the one in which his brother said: “Samir had a black fungus in his eye and that was the cause of what happened and otherwise he would had been cured and left the hospital.”
The artist’s brother said that Samir had been cured of Corona but had kidney and lung failure.
