‘Black Fungus’ Is Appearing in People with COVID-19: What to Know

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• A typically rare fungal infection called mucormycosis has surged in India recently, primarily affecting people recovering from COVID-19.
• Experts say this type of fungal infection is extremely rare and that it may be affecting people whose immune systems have been damaged by the coronavirus.
• Experts say the use of steroid drugs in these patients may partially explain some of the surge, while the immune-compromised state of COVID-19 patients could explain others.

Even as India struggles to contain a deadly surge of COVID-19, doctors are now reporting cases of a rare infection called the “black fungus,” occurring among people recovering from the disease.

The fungal infection is increasingly being seen in vulnerable patients in India, as the country’s health system struggles to save lives during the pandemic.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this black fungus infection is called mucormycosis and is caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes that typically live in soil and decaying organic matter.

The infection can be life threatening and has a mortality rate between 46–96 percent depending on severity.