AIIMS Chief Calls Colour Classification Of Fungus 'Misleading', Says Notion Of Covid Third Wave To Affect Children 'Not Based On Facts'

Elucidating on the same, Dr Guleria classified fungus infection into three types - mucormycosis, candida and aspergillosis. He said mucormycosis is said to be seen occurring mostly in post Covid-19 cases and added aspergillosis is an infection that effects the lungs.

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New Delhi: With India witnessing a surge in cases of mucormycosis or black fungus amid the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Monday dubbed the colour classification of the fungus as misleading while categorically stating the fungal infection is not a communicable disease and its colour could vary for different areas.

Elucidating on the same, Dr. Guleria classified fungus infection into three types - mucormycosis, candida, and aspergillosis. He said mucormycosis is said to be seen occurring mostly in post Covid-19 cases and added aspergillosis is an infection that affects the lungs.

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“People with low immunity are infected with Mucormycosis, Candida and Asporogenous infections. These fungi are mainly found in sinuses, nose, bone around eyes, and can enter brain. Occasionally found in lungs (pulmonary Mucormycosis) or in gastrointestinal tract,” Dr. Guleria told the media here during a Union Health Ministry briefing on the Covid-19 situation in the country.

“There are few symptoms that are seen post Covid-19. If the symptoms are seen for 4-12 weeks, it is called ongoing symptomatic Covid or post-acute Covid syndrome. If symptoms are seen for more than 12 weeks, it is called post-Covid syndrome. Chronic fatigue syndrome is seen, which requires symptomatic treatment. There's another symptom generally termed as 'brain fog' on social media, seen in Covid recovered who find difficulty in concentration and suffer from insomnia and depression,” he added explaining further.

The AIIMS Director also downplayed reports suggesting that the Covid-19 third wave would severely impact the children and said that the reports were not based on factual data.

“It has been said that children will be infected the most in the third wave but Pediatrics Association has said that this is not based on facts. It might not impact children so people should not fear,” he said.

Meanwhile, Union Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal while commenting on Punjab and Delhi being denied foreign Covid-19 vaccines said both manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna mostly run on full booking, adding their supply depends on the surplus they have.

He assured the Central government will surely facilitate supplies of these vaccines to the state level.

“We will get more clarity and a bigger picture on the basis of discussions in multilateral forums,” said Agarwal while clarifying on the government’s stand over reports suggesting that Covid-19 could be a laboratory virus.

The Joint Secretary informed that a total of 14.56 crore vaccines, including both first and second doses, have so far been administered to the people above 45 years of age, adding 1.06 crore vaccine doses have been administered as the first dose to the people between 18 to 44 years of age.

The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country exceeded 19.60 crore on Monday under phase three of the nationwide vaccination drive.

India’s daily recoveries continue to outnumber the daily new cases for the 11th consecutive day. 3,02,544 recoveries were registered in the last 24 hours. India’s cumulative recoveries have reached 2,37,28,011 on Monday. The National Recovery Rate has grown further to touch 88.69%. Ten states account for 72.23% of the new recoveries.

In another positive development, India has recorded less than three lakh daily new cases for the eight consecutive day now. The gap between daily new cases and daily recovered cases has reduced to 80,229 on Monday. 2,22,315 daily new cases were registered in the last 24 hours. Ten states reported 81.08% of the new cases in last 24 hours. Tamil Nadu has reported the highest daily new cases at 35,483 followed by Maharashtra with 26,672 new cases.

India’s active caseload is presently on a decline since its last peak on May 10. The active cases have declined to 27,20,716 with a net decline of 84,683 cases being witnessed in a span of 24 hours. It now comprises 10.17 percent of the country’s total positive cases.