Three cases of COVID-linked black fungus recorded in Afghanistan

The Ministry of Public Health says three people have been diagnosed with COVID-linked black fungus, including one patient who died.

According to the ministry, two men and a woman were infected in Kabul, Baghlan and Samangan provinces.

Meanwhile, the acting health minister on Saturday warned that if people do not take coronavirus seriously they could also risk having to deal with black fungus disease.

“The corona test of all three people with the disease was positive, and two of them also had diabetes,” said Majroh.

Meanwhile, according to Ministry of Public Health statistics, 92 COVID patients died overnight and 1,272 new cases were reported.

People with weakened immune systems or people with heart disease, as well as people with chronic diabetes and cancer, are at risk of developing fungal infections. The disease mostly affects the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, lungs and brain and can be fatal.

Although black fungus does not spread easily, a person with a weakened immune system is at risk of contracting it.

Sources meanwhile said people are trying to get the Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to ward off the disease.

States across India last month declared a “black fungus” epidemic as cases of the fatal rare infection shot up in patients recovering from COVID-19.

The fungal disease, called mucormycosis, has a 50% mortality rate. It affects patients initially in the nose but the fungus can then spread into the brain, and can often only be treated by major surgery removing the eye or part of skull and jaw.