New Delhi, May 6 (IANS): The doctors at one of the leading private hospitals in Delhi, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH), said on Thursday that they have found a rise in 'Mucormycosis' cases triggered by Covid-19 at the hospital.

The SGRH said in an official statement on Thursday that in the last two days, the doctors have found six cases of Mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis (previously called zygomycosis) is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. These molds live throughout the environment. Mucormycosis mainly affects people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body's ability to fight germs and sickness.

"We are seeing a rise again in this dangerous fungal infection triggered by Covid-19. In the last two days, we have admitted six cases of Mucormycisis," said Manish Munjal, a senior doctor at SGRH.

He also stated that last year, this (Mucormycisis) deadly infection had caused high mortality with many patients suffering from loss of eye sight, removal of nose and jaw bone.

According to Munjal, Mucormycosis is known colloquially as the 'black fungus', caused by mucormycetes molds.

In the statement, the doctors at SGRH further asserted that use of sterroids in the treatment of Covid infection and patients having diabetes as comorbidity could be one of the reasons for this rise in black fungus infection again.

Covid patients with weak immunity are more prone to this deadly infection.

Early clinical suspicion on symptoms such as nose obstruction, swelling in the eyes or cheeks and black crusts in the nose should immediately prompt a biopsy and start of antifungal therapy as early as possible.

"This infection is commonly seen in Covid recovered patients with comorbidities such as diabetes or kidney/heart failure or cancer," said Ajay Swroop, another senior doctor at SGRH.

At present, around 550 Covid patients are being treated at SGRH.