Black Fungus on rise in India and what is black fungus


WION shows that warning signs include pain and redness around the eyes or nose, with fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, bloody vomits, and altered mental status.
Even as a deadly second wave of Covid-19 ravages India, doctors are now reporting a rash of cases involving a rare infection – also called the “black fungus” – among recovering and recovered Covid-19 patients.
Mucormycosis is a very rare infection. It is caused by exposure to mucor mould which is commonly found in soil, plants, manure, and decaying fruits and vegetables. “It is ubiquitous and found in soil and air and even in the nose and mucus of healthy people,” says Dr Nair.
It affects the sinuses, the brain and the lungs and can be life-threatening in diabetic or severely immunocompromised individuals.
Mucormycosis (previously called zygomycosis) is certainly 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.
Doctors believe mucormycosis, which has an overall mortality rate of 50%, may be being triggered by the use of steroids, a life-saving treatment for severe and critically ill Covid-19 patients.
Steroids reduce inflammation in the lungs for Covid-19 and appear to help stop some of the damage that can happen when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive to fight off coronavirus. But they also reduce immunity and push up blood sugar levels in both diabetics and non-diabetic Covid-19 patients.
Read more about it here:
Mucormycosis: The ‘black fungus’ maiming Covid patients in India – https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57027829

Japan announces COVID emergency in Tokyo


WION shows that Japan declared “short and powerful” states of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and two other prefectures as the country struggles to contain a resurgent coronavirus pandemic three months before the Olympics.
The 2020 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, and also known as Tokyo 2020, is an upcoming international multi-sport event scheduled to be held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Covid-19 Coronavirus Cases Overview:
Japan: Total cases: 569KJapan: Recovered: 501KJapan: Deaths: 9,939
Worldwide:
Total cases: 147MRecovered: 84.5MDeaths: 3.1M

Gravitas: The Russia-Ukraine conflict explained


WION talks about whether a war is inevitable between Russia & Ukraine. The situation has become quite precarious, but both sides deny stoking up tensions. What’s the reality on ground? WION’s Palki Sharma gets you a report. 
Definition: precarious – adjective:
Examples:
not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.”a precarious ladder”
dependent on chance; uncertain.”he made a precarious living as a painter”
Russia-Ukraine relations refers to the relations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Currently, the 2 countries are engaged in the Russo-Ukrainian War which started in 2014 following Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The modern bilateral relationship between the Russian Federation and Ukraine formally started during World War I as the former Russian Empire was going through its political reform.