Two Covid patients die of mucormycosis infection

Palanpur/Vadodara: A 53-year-old man from Patan district and a 70-year-old woman in Vadodara succumbed to mucormycosis.
Mucormycosis is a deadly fungal infection that spreads menacingly fast in Covid patients suffering from uncontrolled diabetes and low immunity.
Patan district health officials said the victim was identified as Dinesh Patel, a gram rakshak dal (GRD) man, a native of Kamliwada village of Patan taluka.This was the first case of death due to this fungal infection in north Gujarat. Patel, who was a Covid-19 patient, died during treatment at Dharpur Civil Hospital on December 19.
“We noticed blood clots on his forehead and the diagnosis confirmed that he had contracted mucormycosis. His brain and kidneys too got affected, damaging his chances of recovery,” said Dr Manish Ramavat, assistant medical superintendent of near Patan.
Patel had tested positive on December 11 and was admitted to a designated private Covid hospital in Ahmedabad. From there, he was referred to Dharpur hospital on December 16 as his condition was not improving.
“He was unconscious since the time he was brought from Ahmedabad hospital,” said Dr Ramavat.
In Vadodara, the septuagenarian from Rajpipla taluka of Narmada district was admitted to Siddhi Hospital 10 days ago as she had developed Covid symptoms and then tested positive.
“She was recovering well and was discharged three days ago,” said Dr Jayesh Rajpara of the hospital.
But she returned a day after discharge with bleeding nose, breathlessness and headache. “We suspected that she may have been infected with mucormycosis and began her treatment.
She died on Saturday morning and her reports that came later confirmed that she was suffering from the fungal infection. This is probably the first death due to mucormycosis in the city,” Dr Rajpara told TOI.