A case report of Sino-orbital Mucormycosis in a COVID-19 patient from eastern India: a “Red-alert” to physicians emphasizing the importance of early microbiological diagnosis

A 65 years old diabetic female, presented with swelling of left eye and multiple discharging sinuses near the inner canthus of the left eye. She had a history of recent COVID-19 infection and was treated with steroids. The pus from peri-orbital sinuses, in KOH stain showed presence of broad, non-septate, right-angle branching fungal filaments. An early microbiological diagnosis of Mucormycosis, based on the direct smear findings substantiated the clinical diagnosis and helped the patient to get timely treatment. We emphasize that a request for an early microbiological diagnosis may affect the outcome in this highly invasive fatal disease.