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Could steroids be driving the black fungus epidemic in India?

In India, several states have declared an epidemic of mucormycosis – otherwise known as black fungus. Usually it’s rare, but now thousands of cases have been seen in patients recovering from Covid. It can be fatal and in some cases the only way to save a patient is to remove an eye.

Dr Awadhesh Singh, from the GD Hospital and Diabetes Institute in Kolkata, explains why there could be a link between over the counter steroids and the shocking surge in cases of this deadly disease.

(Image: A doctor inspects a patient for black fungus symptoms, Credit: Getty Images.)

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4 minutes