By Bishnu Pandey, Kathmandu, July 2: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has informed that a total of 22 cases of Mucromycosis, aka black fungus, have been detected in COVID-19 patients in Nepal until now.

According to Dr. Samir Adhikari, information officer at the MoHP, 22 cases of black fungus were recorded in various districts across the nation. "However, data as to the number of hospitals treating the black fungus patients is yet to be received," he said.

Meanwhile, the TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj has said that 15 patients admitted to the hospital were diagnosed with Mucormycosis. "Of them, eight patients are currently under treatment, one succumbed to the disease, and the remaining six have already been discharged," said Dr. Rajendra Pradhananga, who works at TUTH. "Some were discharged post-surgery while in some cases, surgery could not be done due to complications."

Dr. Pradhananga said that it was not certain that the black fungus patients would recover after surgery. "We decided to conduct or avoid surgery after cleaning out the blood clots around the eyes. As a majority of the patients who visit us have serious health complications, we are facing difficulties to conduct surgery," he added.

He also recommended everyone immediately visit the hospital if they suspect a back fungus infection.

Moreover, Dr. Pradhananga also added that due to the lack of Amphotericin B, medication given to black fungus patients, the hospital was using Posaconazole as an alternative.

Dr. Adhikari informed that as the hospitals nationwide were facing a shortage of Amphotericin B, a medicine that is also used in the treatment of Kala-azar, the Health Ministry was under process to procure more doses of the medicine.