INDIA recorded more than 45,000 cases of the deadly "black fungus" over the last two months, the health ministry said, as a nationwide outbreak sweeps through Covid-19 patients.
The country's junior health minister Bharati Pravin Pawar told parliament that over 4,200 people had died of the fungus (scientific name mucormycosis).
The government data tabled on Tuesday (20) suggested infection numbers peaked during May and June and have since substantially decreased.
But local media on Monday (19) reported that there had been a rise in cases among children in the northern state of Rajasthan.
The infection was previously considered very rare but cases have ballooned during the pandemic, usually striking patients after recovery from Covid-19.
It is a highly aggressive disease and surgeons have been forced to remove eyes, the nose and jaw from patients to stop it from spreading to the brain. The death rate is over 50 per cent.
According to government data, the highest number of cases were reported in the western state of Maharashtra at 9,348.
India dealt with just 20 cases a year on average before the pandemic, with only people with severely compromised immunity at risk, including those with high blood sugar levels, HIV or organ transplant recipients.
Experts have attributed the recent rise to the excessive use of steroids to treat Covid-19.
The Indian government declared the fungus an epidemic in May as cases shot up and social media has been flooded with desperate pleas for medicines to treat the illness.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)