The spokesman for health in Dhi Qar province, Ammar Al-Zamili, confirmed the registration of a death due to black fungus in the southern Iraqi province. Medical sources indicated that the deceased was a religious figure and that the disease was discovered by chance upon the patient’s death. The sources noted that a doctor found that the patient died from black fungus after being diagnosed with death caused by fungal emergence in the eye. According to the sources, there have been previous deaths similar to this fungal infection, but they were not diagnosed as black fungus disease.
Reports had circulated stating that there were numerous cases of black fungus infection in Iraq, prompting the Iraqi health authorities to issue an official statement on the matter. The Iraqi health ministry stated in a statement last Sunday that no cases of black fungus infection have been recorded in Iraq from travelers coming from India so far. Iraqi Public Health director Abdul Amir Al-Halfi explained that black fungus is a very rare disease affecting immunocompromised individuals and has no relation to the coronavirus. Al-Halfi pointed out that black fungus arises from contamination in rural areas and soil. He added, "The emergence of cases in India was due to a lack of hygiene, but Iraq has not recorded any cases from travelers coming from India yet." It is noteworthy that Indian authorities disclosed on May 20 of this year the outbreak of a disease threatening the lives of some patients with COVID-19, known as mucormycosis or "black fungus."
