Can Masks Cause ‘Black Fungus’? Follow These Tips Of Experts To Avoid Infection

New Delhi: At a time when the entire world is grappling with COVID pandemic, another infection, ‘Black Fungus’, has become another reason of great concern for the mankind.

While several people have died due to Black Fungus across the country, hundreds of such patients are still undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, the medical and health experts have started to find out the reason behind the Black Fungus. Some of the medical experts think that Black Fungus might be caused due to unhygienic or re-using unwashed masks. Poorly ventilated rooms also could be contributing factor.

However, many medical experts said that there is “no clinical evidence” to make such claims.

A report of zeenews.india.com revealed that Dr Suresh Singh Naruka, a senior consultant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, told PTI that the primary factor is “irrational use of steroids”.

“Second, I would reckon is unhygienic practices, like wearing masks over a long time without washing them, or staying in poorly ventilated rooms such as a basement, or less airy rooms. So, I would say, the second factor is also a trigger point for contractor mucormycosis,” he said.

“In many cases, we also found that people who had contracted black fungus had self-medicated themselves on steroids, after their oxygen concentration levels had dropped, making them susceptible to this ailment which is being found more in COVID patients under treatment or recovery than others,” Naruka said.

Here are four tips of experts to avoid black fungus infection:

  • Masks should be disinfected on regular basis.
  • Those who are using Oxygen Concentrators should clean and replace the humidifiers.
  • Sterile normal saline should be used in the humidifier bottle and changed daily.
  • The users of steroids should keep checking their blood sugar levels time and again.
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