The pandemic is sweeping through India at a pace that has staggered scientists. The virus is spreading faster than ever before, in India, despite previous high infection rates in megacities, which should have conferred some protection. India had recorded its highest number (6329) of mucormycosis cases ( Adil, 2021). There are 24,370 cases with a history of COVID-19 and 17,601 cases with a history of diabetes. As of June 7, 2021, the country has recorded 28,252 cases of mucormycosis from 28 states. India continued to maintain a downward trend in daily COVID-19 cases until the number of cases hovered above 3,00,000 in the deadly second wave of the infection. The general population is relatively more complacent towards physical distancing, mask-wearing, and other public health interventions. As the global COVID-19 pandemic enters the second year, countries around the world are racing to vaccinate their populations as novel variants emerge. Today, health services in all regions are struggling to tackle COVID-19 and provide people with vital care.
The year 2020 was devastating for global health as an uncommon virus raced worldwide, emerging rapidly as one of the top killers laying bare the inadequacies of the health systems. It affects the sinus, brain and lungs and can be life-threatening in diabetic or severely immunocompromised individuals.
Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection caused by exposure to mucor mold commonly found in soil, manure, plants, decaying fruits and vegetables, air and even in the mucus of healthy people. Early identification and further investigation of this fungus will significantly reduce the severity of the disease and mortality rate in COVID-19 affected patients. Hence, the present review emphasizes mucormycosis and its related conditions, its mechanism in normal and COVID-19 affected individuals, influencing factors and challenges to overcome this black mold infection. Most of these patients had diabetes and were administered steroids for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and were consequently more prone to mucormycosis. Recent studies have documented alarming number of COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis infection. Mucormycosis is caused by the inhalation of its filamentous (hyphal form) fungi especially in the patients who are immunosuppressed. Mucormycosis is a serious, but rare opportunistic fungal infection that spreads rapidly, and hence prompt diagnosis and treatment are necessary to avoid high rate of mortality and morbidity rates. In the midst of this pandemic, the COVID-19 patients are acquiring secondary infections such as mucormycosis also known as black fungus disease. As there are no proper treatment options or remedies available for this deadly infection, supportive care equipment's such as oxygen cylinders, ventilators and heavy use of steroids play a vital role in the management of COVID-19. The second wave of this disease has led to panic in many countries, including India and some parts of the world suffering from the third wave. The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) still remains on an upsurge trend.
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