Sagnik Nag , Amity University, Kolkata
Currently, India as a developing nation with an average population of 1.34 billion, is fighting a battle against the lethal Coronavirus. Swift and agile efforts to mitigate the health effects of COVID-19 by the state and central governments are yielding some positive results. This pandemic has been a catastrophe for the Indian economy and health care system. Our country is struggling to combat the catastrophic second wave of coronavirus infections that have left an already challenged healthcare system on its trembling knees.
Furthermore adding on to the concern, few patients who are affected with novel Coronavirus or have been recently recovered were diagnosed with severe fungal infection – mucormycosis, or black fungus in a hospital from Ahmedabad. This condition of fungal infection – mucormycosis, can be detrimental for patients with comorbidities raising long-term immunodeficiency concerns. According to Dr. Manish Munjal, a veteran ENT surgeon, they have received 6 cases for mucormycosis where the patients suffered from loss of eyesight and removal of nose and jaw bone. This is under speculation that this rise in cases of mucormycosis can be due to immunodeficiency present in the body of Covid-19 patients. Steroids which are often prescribed by doctors to the patients already suffering from COVID-19 fever can also lead to severe immunodeficiency, which makes the patients prone to secondary or opportunistic infections. High doses of steroids with comorbidities like diabetes or other conditions can be severely detrimental for Covid-19 patients which can lead to severely compromised immunity.
Hospital beds, medical supplies, and oxygen cylinders are in dearth of supply, and doctors across the country are both overworked and psychologically traumatized, as the country constantly battles the Covid crisis. Let us all stand in solidarity to break the chain of infection and take a pledge to stay safe.
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