The directorate of health in Kirkuk declared the first death case of black fungus has been registered in the province on Thursday July 22nd.
The case was a woman in the 50s, hospitalized in al-Shifa hospital for Covid-19 treatment in the begging of this week.
“We have diagnosed she was suffering from black fungus as it was obvious on her face,” a medical source anonymously told KirkukNow. “She was hospitalized for few days but her case was deteriorating till she passed away on Thursday,” the source added.
The black fungus or Mucormycosis is a rare but dangerous fungal infection. This aggressive infection affects the nose, eye and sometimes the brain.
It causes damage to the sinuses, the brain and the lungs and can be life-threatening in diabetic or severely immunocompromised patients, such as cancer patients.
Amid the deadly second wave of Covid-19 in India few months ago, doctors are reporting a rash of cases involving a rare infection - also called the "black fungus" - among recovering and recovered Covid-19 cases.
Iraq has registered several cases of black fungus in Dhi Qar and one case was reported dead in al-Sulaymaniyah province in northern Kurdistan region.
“Another medical source confirmed the death case is the first of black fungus in Kirkuk.
Early June, director of Kirkuk health confirmed the suspect cases were not black fungus and no cases were registered in Kirkuk.
Mucormycosis symptoms might appear on skin like bubbles, itchiness and redness, infection and pain.
Few days ago, Kirkuk heath officials warned of Delta variant of Covid-19 as the province passes an alarming week due to remarkable spike of positive cases.
Based on recommendations by the ministry of health, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi chaired a meeting of high committee for health & safety on Tuesday where he decided to impose compulsory masking in public places as Iraq faces third wave of Covid-19, Iraqi PM Media office said.
The Iraqi security forces ISF were tasked to impose recommendations of this meeting. From next week, only half of civil servants will attend office as part of new set of rules to curb the third wave of the pandemic.
