Saudi Arabia has not detected black fungus infections, the health ministry affirmed on Sunday in response to claims of its detection among COVID-19 patients.
Mucormycosis, or black fungus, is caused by mold found in wet environments. It usually infects people whose immune system has been compromised, causing blackening or discoloration over the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, breathing difficulties and coughing of blood.
Ministry spokesman Mohammed Abdelali refuted claims that the black fungus is a variant of COVID-19 or had any links to it.
The ministry pointed out that the coronavirus infection curve has been recently flattened, following a spike earlier this year.
He told a press conference that social events still pose a risk, noting that figures showed that 75 percent of the recently detected cases were due to family gatherings.
Furthermore, Abdelali stressed that the second coronavirus vaccine shot has not been canceled but only delayed, in accordance with studies and recommendations.
The delay aims to ensure that a greatest number of people receive the first dose to raise the level of social immunity.
He pointed out that people above 60 are exempt from this delay and have been given the priority to receive both doses, urging people who received just one shot to book an appointment to receive their second.
The Kingdom registered 1,067 new COVID-19 cases, 895 recoveries and 12 deaths on Sunday.
It has confirmed 440,914 cases, 424,690 recoveries and 7,249 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
