First cases of deadly ‘black fungus’ found in Covid patients outside India – World News

The first cases of a deadly “black fungus” linked to the coronavirus variant first identified in India have been found outside the country.

Health officials have reportedly recorded a case in Chile and another in Uruguay, sparking fears the infection is spreading rapidly.

The Chilean Society of Infectology said: “Cases of fungal infections have been detected since the start of the pandemic but the frequency has increased and serious cases have risen.”

According to The Times, the patient who contracted the fungus in Uruguay is a 50-year-old who recovered from Covid-19 last week.

A rise in cases of Mucormycosis – also known as black fungus – have led to thousands of patients in Covid-stricken India to have their eyes removed.

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Doctors are concerned about the infection while the healthcare system is under pressure due to the high number of coronavirus cases and deaths.

More than 8,800 patients in India have contracted the infection.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “In this battle of ours, another new challenge of black fungus has also emerged these days.”

The main drug used to combat the condition is amphotericin B and at the moment there is a shortage in India, where doctors, who normally see three or four cases a year, now see five to six a day.

After cases of the rare infection were recorded in other countries too, there have been fears that it might become more widespread.

The main symptoms of Mucormycosis blackening or discolouration over the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, breathing difficulties and coughing blood.

The disease has a mortality rate of 54 per cent, according to data from the USA’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

It can be life-threatening especially for diabetic or severely immuno-compromised people, including cancer patients and individuals with HIV or Aids.

It comes as Public Health England confirmed the Indian Covid variant is now officially the dominant strain of the virus in the UK after overtaking the Kent mutation.

Weekly variant data from PHE shows that cases of the Indian variant in the UK have risen by 5,472 since last week to 12,431.

Although there is some regional variation, experts now believe the ‘delta’ variant which first emerged in India has now overtaken the Kent strain that began ripping through the country late last year.

Early evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of hospitalisation for the variant, known officially as VOC-21APR-02, the PHE has warned.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: “With this variant now dominant across the UK, it remains vital that we all continue to exercise as much caution as possible.

“The way to tackle variants is to tackle the transmission of Covid-19 as a whole. Work from home where you can, and practice ‘hands, face, space, fresh air’ at all times.

“If you are eligible and have not already done so, please come forward to be vaccinated and make sure you get your second jab. It will save lives.”