DAK warns Covid-19 patients to avoid irrational use of steroids.

MIRPUR (AJK) -- Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) has warned against the irrational use of steroids in Covid-19 patients in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), said a report reaching here Sunday.

'Indiscriminate use of steroids can trigger deadly black fungal infection, called mucormycosis which has reached epidemic proportions in several states of the country,' said the DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan, the report said.

"So far, India including IIOJK State has reported over 8,800 cases of black fungus and more than 200 people have died due to this deadly disease,' revealed Dr Nisar.

Dr Hassan said in occupied Srinagar that steroids were life-saving drugs in severe Covid patients who have respiratory distress or need oxygen or ventilation.

"There in no indication not for those patients who are not having respiratory distress and are not having any kind of need for oxygen, he underlined.

He said a Recovery trial in the United Kingdom showed that steroids reduce mortality in severe Covid-19 patients. But they increase the mortality when given to patients with mild disease.

'We are seeing steroids being prescribed to patients with mild Covid disease,' Dr Nisar said.

'People are using steroids on their own when they do not need them.'

He said the recovery trial recommends that steroids should be given for 10...