Black fungus has been detected in a deceased patient at the capital's Birdem General Hospital, making it the first suspected death from the infection in Bangladesh.
Birdem Hospital authorities on Tuesday said the 65-year-old man, who died three days ago, was suffering from uncontrolled diabetes along with kidney complications.
He was admitted to the hospital about a month ago after being infected with Covid-19. Later he was discharged after recovery.
The patient again got admitted to Birdem Hospital with post-Covid illness a few days earlier, where he died three days ago, hospital authorities said.
Presence of the deadly fungus was detected after examining samples from the deceased.
Meanwhile, two other patients were diagnosed with black fungus at the same hospital on Tuesday.
Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research (IEDCR) Director Tahmina Shirin said the two patients were first in the country to be diagnosed with the disease.
People with uncontrolled diabetes and a weakened immune system are at higher risk of developing the black fungal infection, she added.
Meanwhile, in India, many states have been declaring the black fungus an epidemic since it has increased in patients recovering from Covid-19.
More than 7,000 people in India have already been reported with the fungal disease and 219 have lost their lives.
Many of those being infected with the disease are coronavirus patients, or those who have recently recovered from Covid-19, whose immune systems have been weakened by the virus or who have underlying conditions, including diabetes.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), black fungus infection, clinically called 'Mucormycosis', is caused by a group of moulds that is not harmful to most people.
However, lungs and sinuses can be affected if spores of the moulds enter the body of those who have low immunity.
Experts also say that patients with Covid-19 and diabetes, who are taking steroids, have cancer or those who have had organ transplants, are at the highest risk of contracting black fungus.
