Rhino-orbital Mucormycosis as a complication of severe COVID-19 pneumonia

Mucormycosis has multiple clinical phenotypes, which are more common in immunocompromised patients, especially those with diabetes mellitus. Debilitating rhino-orbital-cerebral and pulmonary infections by far represent the most typical clinical phenotypes associated with these fungi. Mucormycosis is an uncommon infection; however, there have been isolated sporadic tiny outbreaks around the world. With the substantial increase in COVID-19 cases in India, there is a parallel increase in the number of cases of Mucormycosis. A few reports raising unusual concomitant mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients have raised a possible association between the two diseases. We report a 59-year-old male with an established history of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus admitted to the hospital with severe COVID-19 pneumonia (severity ascertained according to WHO classification) treated with steroids and discharged home following full recovery. However, one week later, he presented with right eye ophthalmoplegia and complete loss of vision, which was subsequently established as orbital Mucormycosis. This case highlights the need for heightened awareness of this atypical secondary infection (especially systemic mycosis) in patients recovering from COVID-19 infection.