Detected the first case of black fungus in Mexico. The infection, known as mucormycosis, can lead to facial paralysis, severe headaches, and eventually death.
Mexico detected this Wednesday the first case of black fungus in the country. The 34-year-old was transferred to a hospital in the State of Mexico after suffering severe headaches, according to the newspaper El Universal . In addition, the infection, known as mucormycosis, has also caused facial paralysis on the left side of her face and has affected her ability to speak.
Before the detection of the first case in the North American country, this rare disease had caused havoc in India , where almost 9,000 cases have been reported in recent months, according to the BBC . At least 19 Indian regions have elevated it to epidemic status.
The profile that is repeated most often is that of patients already recovered from covid-19. Mucormycosis seems to hit a few weeks later and is primed with diabetics. Doctors have associated it with the steroid treatment applied in the Asian country.
The undersecretary of Health of Mexico, Hugo López-Gatell, declared last week that “it should not give the impression that it is a new epidemic wave that is going to hit the world.” “It is not a new situation that we should fear, that spreads like covid-19. The correct use of medications ensures that these conditions do not occur ”, he pointed out.
The infection, which has a 54% mortality rate, is caused by a group of fungi present in the soil and in decomposing organic matter, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English). ) from the United States. These fungi are not harmful to most people, but they can be deadly for those with weakened immune systems, such as diabetics or cancer patients.
The black fungus manifests itself in the form of ulcers and blisters and can blacken the affected area. Symptoms, in addition to facial paralysis and headaches, also include nausea, cough, and shortness of breath.