• Advertise
  • Opinion
  • Features & Interviews
  • Investigation
  • Contact
Friday, August 12, 2022
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Lagos Today
  • Home
  • News
    • Lagos News
    • National News
    • World News
  • Entertainment⚡ by CRAWL
    • All
    • Art & Design
    • Books
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Sports
    Amusan Sets New Record, Wins Gold At Commonwealth Games

    Nigeria’s athletes will sweep medals at Paris 2024 Olympics if well nurtured- Ex-Athlete, Porbeni

    VICTORIA AZARENKA INTO THE FINALS, DASHED SERENA WILLIAMS’ 24TH GRAND SLAM HOPES

    Serena Williams Quits Professional Tennis

    Kizz Daniel arrested in Tanzania for not performing in paid concert

    Kizz Daniel Released From Tanzanian Police Custody

    Kizz Daniel arrested in Tanzania for not performing in paid concert

    Kizz Daniel arrested in Tanzania for not performing in paid concert

    Amusan Sets New Record, Wins Gold At Commonwealth Games

    Amusan Sets New Record, Wins Gold At Commonwealth Games

    Fela Kuti Celebrated 25 Years After Death

    Fela Kuti Celebrated 25 Years After Death

    BBNaija S7: Hermes Emerges HOH For Week Two

    BBNaija S7: Hermes Emerges HOH For Week Two

    2022 Commonwealth Games: Lawal Wins Nigeria Second Gold Medal in Weightlifting

    2022 Commonwealth Games: Lawal Wins Nigeria Second Gold Medal in Weightlifting

    NiDCOM Boss Hails Tobi Amusan On Her Victory At World Athletics Championship

    NiDCOM Boss Hails Tobi Amusan On Her Victory At World Athletics Championship

    Usain Bolt Congratulates Tobi Amusan For Breaking World Record

    Usain Bolt Congratulates Tobi Amusan For Breaking World Record

  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Features & Interviews
  • Best Of Lagos
    Lagos welcomes The Art hotel: A flamboyant 5 star Business Boutique Hotel

    Lagos welcomes The Art hotel: A flamboyant 5 star Business Boutique Hotel

    THE LUXURY NETWORK NIGERIA ANNOUNCES NEW MEMBER, AFFINITY ART GALLERY

    THE LUXURY NETWORK NIGERIA ANNOUNCES NEW MEMBER, AFFINITY ART GALLERY

    THE LUXURY NETWORK NIGERIA HOSTS MEMBERS’ NETWORKING FORUM

    THE LUXURY NETWORK NIGERIA HOSTS MEMBERS’ NETWORKING FORUM

    Exploring Lagos’ Gastronomy With Chef Priyank Singh of Hard Rock Cafe

    Exploring Lagos’ Gastronomy With Chef Priyank Singh of Hard Rock Cafe

    Olu Oyinsan- Saying Yes To Founders At The Early Stage

    Olu Oyinsan- Saying Yes To Founders At The Early Stage

    A Rare Hobby: Sports Fishing In Lagos

    A Rare Hobby: Sports Fishing In Lagos

    Chef Nkesi- Experiencing Different Cultures Through Food

    Chef Nkesi- Experiencing Different Cultures Through Food

    Wumi Jubril: Creating Memorable Experiences

    Wumi Jubril: Creating Memorable Experiences

    Nordic hotel

    Nordic Hotel Makes Grand Debut in Lagos

  • Things To Do
  • Home
  • News
    • Lagos News
    • National News
    • World News
  • Entertainment⚡ by CRAWL
    • All
    • Art & Design
    • Books
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Sports
    Amusan Sets New Record, Wins Gold At Commonwealth Games

    Nigeria’s athletes will sweep medals at Paris 2024 Olympics if well nurtured- Ex-Athlete, Porbeni

    VICTORIA AZARENKA INTO THE FINALS, DASHED SERENA WILLIAMS’ 24TH GRAND SLAM HOPES

    Serena Williams Quits Professional Tennis

    Kizz Daniel arrested in Tanzania for not performing in paid concert

    Kizz Daniel Released From Tanzanian Police Custody

    Kizz Daniel arrested in Tanzania for not performing in paid concert

    Kizz Daniel arrested in Tanzania for not performing in paid concert

    Amusan Sets New Record, Wins Gold At Commonwealth Games

    Amusan Sets New Record, Wins Gold At Commonwealth Games

    Fela Kuti Celebrated 25 Years After Death

    Fela Kuti Celebrated 25 Years After Death

    BBNaija S7: Hermes Emerges HOH For Week Two

    BBNaija S7: Hermes Emerges HOH For Week Two

    2022 Commonwealth Games: Lawal Wins Nigeria Second Gold Medal in Weightlifting

    2022 Commonwealth Games: Lawal Wins Nigeria Second Gold Medal in Weightlifting

    NiDCOM Boss Hails Tobi Amusan On Her Victory At World Athletics Championship

    NiDCOM Boss Hails Tobi Amusan On Her Victory At World Athletics Championship

    Usain Bolt Congratulates Tobi Amusan For Breaking World Record

    Usain Bolt Congratulates Tobi Amusan For Breaking World Record

  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Features & Interviews
  • Best Of Lagos
    Lagos welcomes The Art hotel: A flamboyant 5 star Business Boutique Hotel

    Lagos welcomes The Art hotel: A flamboyant 5 star Business Boutique Hotel

    THE LUXURY NETWORK NIGERIA ANNOUNCES NEW MEMBER, AFFINITY ART GALLERY

    THE LUXURY NETWORK NIGERIA ANNOUNCES NEW MEMBER, AFFINITY ART GALLERY

    THE LUXURY NETWORK NIGERIA HOSTS MEMBERS’ NETWORKING FORUM

    THE LUXURY NETWORK NIGERIA HOSTS MEMBERS’ NETWORKING FORUM

    Exploring Lagos’ Gastronomy With Chef Priyank Singh of Hard Rock Cafe

    Exploring Lagos’ Gastronomy With Chef Priyank Singh of Hard Rock Cafe

    Olu Oyinsan- Saying Yes To Founders At The Early Stage

    Olu Oyinsan- Saying Yes To Founders At The Early Stage

    A Rare Hobby: Sports Fishing In Lagos

    A Rare Hobby: Sports Fishing In Lagos

    Chef Nkesi- Experiencing Different Cultures Through Food

    Chef Nkesi- Experiencing Different Cultures Through Food

    Wumi Jubril: Creating Memorable Experiences

    Wumi Jubril: Creating Memorable Experiences

    Nordic hotel

    Nordic Hotel Makes Grand Debut in Lagos

  • Things To Do
No Result
View All Result
The Lagos Today
No Result
View All Result
Home World News

A second crisis is killing survivors of India’s worst Covid wave

by The Lagos Today
July 26, 2021
in World News
6 min read
0
0
A second crisis is killing survivors of India’s worst Covid wave
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Srinivas S. lies on a gurney in an operating theater in St John’s Hospital in Bengaluru as surgeons carefully remove bits of blackened tissue and rotten bone from his face.

The 41-year-old driver is one of more than 45,000 Indians infected with black fungus — or mucormycosis — since the start of the country’s second Covid-19 wave in late March.

Like Srinivas, the vast majority of sufferers — around 85% — were Covid-19 patients, according to India’s Health Ministry. By July, more than 4,300 people had died from the fungal infection.

Srinivas’s sister Shyamala V. sits by his bed and considers what life will be like for her brother’s wife and two young sons, ages 2 and four months, if he becomes one of them.

“I am very scared for him; he has two small kids. Who will look after them?” she said.

Black fungus is India’s second Covid crisis. Before this year, the infection was rare in India, though it was around 80 times more common there than in developed countries.

It’s caused by mucormycetes, a type of fungi, that people are exposed to every day, but when their immune systems have been battered by Covid they become more vulnerable to infection. Unless treated quickly, black fungus can cause permanent damage to the face, loss of vision and death — it has a mortality rate of over 50%.

Cases have surged in India, and a small number of cases have been detected elsewhere — in Nepal, Afghanistan, Egypt and Oman, according to their respective health ministries.India’s black fungus cases numbers are far higher now than after the country’s first coronavirus wave last September. That may be due to the rapid spread of the Delta or B.1.617.2 variant of the virus.

Diabetes causes elevated blood sugar levels — perfect conditions for a fungus that feeds on sugar. In India, at least 77 million people had diabetes as of 2019, second only to China which had 116 million (the United States had 31 million) according to the International Diabetes Federation — which partly explains why Indian black fungus cases are comparatively high.

The World Health Organization says the prevalence of diabetes is rising more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries than high-income countries. Coupled with a rise in Covid cases, doctors predict black fungus will become more common worldwide.

Excruciating pain

Srinivas, who only uses one name, thought he was over the worst of Covid-19, but his left eye soon started swelling so much he could barely open it. The pain was excruciating.

He had never heard of black fungus but became concerned when his eye and nose started bleeding in May. “A lot of blood was coming out, so I thought, what is happening?” Srinivas told CNN from his hospital bed before his third operation to remove infected tissue.

Srinivas said he went to four hospitals before doctors diagnosed him with black fungus and referred him to a fifth hospital where he finally received treatment.

Before the pandemic, India had about 3,000 to 4,000 cases of mucormycosis each year, according to figures provided to the Indian Parliament by Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Back then, the illness wasn’t notifiable, meaning states weren’t obliged to report cases to the central government. That changed in May as case numbers grew. By the end of June, more than 40,845 cases had been reported nationwide.

Two weeks later, that number had risen by around 9% to 45,374. Of those patients, around half are still receiving treatment, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

A shortage of drugs

There is no quick fix for mucormycosis. Patients undergo surgery to remove infected tissue in a procedure known as debridement. They are then treated with the antifungal medication liposomal amphotericin B to keep the infection from resurging.

As case numbers rose in May, several states reported shortages of the drug and India’s Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers stepped in to regulate supplies. An extra five companies were approved to produce the drug in India, and new import orders were placed.

“We have gone all over Bangalore looking for the injection, but even private hospitals have to ask for the drug from government hospitals. It’s simply not available anywhere,” Shyamala said.

The drug — expensive at about $95 a dose — is not available outside hospitals. Srinivas’ family has been relying on help from his employers and low interest loans to pay for the drug and for the private hospital fees.

Three doses are needed a day for at least 28 days, doctors say, meaning the cost of treatment could be as high as $8,000 — out of reach for many poorer Indians.

Mandaviya, India’s health minister, said when reports of mucormycosis emerged in May, India produced about 150,000 vials of amphotericin B. “The world helped us at that time … wherever in the world there was amphotericin, it was sent to us and we imported 1,300,000 vials of the drug,” Mandaviya said on Tuesday.

“I admit that it is possible that some people still did not get the drug, but the government did everything it could,” he added.

What causes black fungus?

Several factors are behind the rise of black fungus in patients after India’s second Covid wave, according to doctors — including the drugs used to treat it.Senior health officials from India’s Covid taskforce and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences said the overuse of steroids to treat Covid-19 had suppressed patients’ immune systems and made them more susceptible to black fungus.

Under India’s Covid management protocols, steroids can be prescribed in moderate and severe cases of Covid, though the latest guidelines issued in May advise “judicious use” to prevent and manage conditions like mucormycosis.

Some doctors also suspect a shortage of medical-grade oxygen may have played a role, arguing that prolonged low levels of oxygen can make patients more vulnerable to infection.

Some doctors believe there may be a link between the rise in black fungus infection and the Delta variant, a more transmissible Covid strain first detected in India in December.

Since then, the Delta variant has spread to 96 countries, and World Health Organization expects it to soon become the world’s most dominant strain.

While several studies have confirmed that patients with Covid are more vulnerable to black fungus, researchers have not determined if the Delta variant creates greater risk factors than other strains.

The spread worldwide

India’s second Covid wave has passed, but there are fears of a third wave and what could mean for black fungus outbreaks in India. The infection is not contagious between people, but clearly the environment is suitable for its spread.

So far, no other country has reported a sharp rise in cases — even as the Delta variant spreads worldwide. For example, by mid-June, the Delta variant accounted for 99% of Covid-19 cases in the UK but no cases of mucormycosis had been reported.

Srinivas is a Covid survivor, but it will be some time before he’s able to return to work. He was unable to speak for weeks after his surgery to remove traces of black fungus, initially due to pain and swelling, then because a feeding tube had been inserted due to the loss of part of his jaw.”I can see … I feel good, I’ll try to get back to work as soon as possible. I have two small kids. I have been in the hospital for a very long time and I haven’t even seen them,” Srinivas said in early July.

Srinivas was discharged last Saturday after two months in the hospital, though his left eye remains swollen shut, and he must visit the hospital each week to monitor his progress.”I don’t think he can go back to work before a year, said his sister Shyamala. “But it will be difficult to make him stay home.”

–CNN

Follow us on social media
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...
Tags: Black fungusIndia
Previous Post

Buhari Jets Out To London For Medical Check-up, Education Summit

Next Post

Lebanon’s water system on brink of total collapse, says UN

The Lagos Today

The Lagos Today

Related Posts

Hong Kong suffers biggest ever population drop as exodus accelerates

Hong Kong suffers biggest ever population drop as exodus accelerates

by The Lagos Today
August 12, 2022
0

Hong Kong has recorded its sharpest annual drop in population, with experts blaming the decline on strict Covid control measures...

Europe reels as repeated heatwaves cause chaos

Europe reels as repeated heatwaves cause chaos

by The Lagos Today
August 12, 2022
0

Western Europe was battling Thursday to deal with the fallout from extreme heat and drought, with wildfires causing evacuations in...

Next Post
Lebanon’s water system on brink of total collapse, says UN

Lebanon's water system on brink of total collapse, says UN

Please login to join discussion

Recommended

NNPC Pledges 20000Bpd Crude Supply to Lagos

NNPC Pledges 20000Bpd Crude Supply to Lagos

1 year ago
Covid-19 Protocols: Lagos Police Raid Night Clubs, Arrest 71, Impounds 13 Vehicles

WAR AGAINST CULTISM: LAGOS POLICE ENGAGE CULTISTS IN GUN DUEL, ARREST 2, RECOVER ARMS

2 years ago

Popular News

    Newsletter

    Connect with us

    Tags

    #EndSARS #EndSARS Protests 2023 Elections 2023 polls 2023 Presidency ACCIDENT All progressives Congress APC Babajide Sanwo-Olu Bitcoin CBN Central Bank of NIgeria China Coronavirus pandemic Covid-19 Covid-19 in Lagos Covid-19 in Nigeria Covid-19 Vaccine Cryptocurrency Donald Trump Dubai EFCC Federal Government Federal Government of Nigeria Fraud Gov. Sanwo-Olu Insecurity Lagos state Lagos State Government Lagos State House of Assembly Lagos State Police command LASEMA Latest jobs in lagos Lekki Tollgate Shooting Muhammadu Buhari Murder Naira NDLEA Nigeria Rape Russia Strike action UK United states US

    News

    • Business
    • National
    • Politics
    • Tech

    Opinion

    • Editorials
    • Today’s Opinion
    • Letters
    • Sunday Review
    • Advertise
    • Opinion
    • Features & Interviews
    • Investigation
    • Contact

    © 2020 The Lagos Today - Nkali.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • News
      • Lagos News
      • National News
      • World News
    • Entertainment
    • Opinion
    • Business
    • Features & Interviews
    • Best Of Lagos
    • Things To Do

    © 2020 The Lagos Today - Nkali.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms bellow to register

    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    %d bloggers like this: