Black fungus does not pose a threat to Jordan: Belbisi

Jordan

Published: 2021-05-27 11:11

Last Updated: 2024-03-29 13:10


Editor: Dana Sharayri

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Thursday, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health, Adel Belbisi confirmed that the black fungus disease is not an infectious disease.

During his participation in Roya’s Donya Ya Donya program, Belbisi said that black fungus disease may affect people who suffer from weak immunity, in addition to people with diabetes, if their sugar accumulation reaches 10 and 11.

He pointed out that the black fungus disease does not pose a threat to the Ministry of Health in Jordan because it is not a communicable disease.

Notably, the Egyptian Ministry of Health had prepared special rooms to isolate those infected with the black fungus, caused by their infection with the coronavirus, inside Al-Nujaila isolation hospital in Matrouh Governorate.

What is black fungus?

Black fungus, also known as mucormycosis or zygomycosis, is caused by a group of moulds called mucormycetes.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these fungi live in the environment, particularly in soil and in decaying organic matter, such as leaves, compost piles, or rotten wood.

When an individual breathes these fungal spores, they are likely to get the infection that commonly affects the sinuses or lungs.

COVID-19 and black fungus

According to experts, patients infected with the coronavirus have weak immunity and a large number of them are put on steroids in order to control a hyperimmune response, thus making them susceptible to other fungal infections such as mucormycosis.

The majority of black fungus infections have been seen in coronavirus patients with diabetes or those with undetected high blood sugar.

In India, a lot of black fungus cases were detected following the poor air quality and excessive dust in cities, which make it easier for the fungi to increase.

Doctor Milind Navalakhe, an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon at Global Hospital in Mumbai said “There is also the rampant misuse and overuse of steroids and antibiotics in India which further allows such infections to spread.”

Symptoms of black fungus 

According to the CDC, black fungus can affect different parts of the body, showing different sets of symptoms.

If the infection grows in the sinuses and brain, symptoms include fever, one-sided facial swelling, headache, and nasal or sinus congestion.

If the lungs are affected by the fungus, the individual can experience cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

When the black fungus attacks the digestive system, you may experience abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and gastrointestinal bleeding.