Concerns are rising for the potentially more lethal white fungus infection after an increase in cases of deadly black fungus among Covid-19 patients in India.

On Wednesday, four cases of "white fungus," also known as "candidiasis," were discovered at a government-run medical college in Patna, the capital of Bihar, which is experiencing a particularly high rate of Covid cases.

Over 200 people have died and at least 7,000 people have been infected by the Covid-triggered black fungus in India, prompting the country's health ministry to ask states to declare an outbreak.

Dr. S N Singh, the chief of microbiology at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), told Indian media that all four people infected with white fungus had coronavirus-like symptoms but had not tested positive for Covid-19.

The white fungus patients, according to Mr. Singh, had lung damage close to that caused by Covid infection.

“The patients were treated with antifungal drugs after the white fungus was discovered, and their condition has since improved,” Mr. Singh said.

Officials are also concerned that the fungus is spreading faster than the black fungus to other parts of the body, such as the nails, skin, stomach, kidney, brain, private parts, and mouth.

Other cases of white fungus have yet to be recorded across the world.

One of the four patients who tested positive for white fungus had his oxygen saturation level decrease, according to a medical college official.

“That patient was a doctor who was admitted to a private hospital after developing Covid-19 symptoms. His Covid test came back negative, but his lung was poisoned. As a result, we were approached by a close relative who brought him here. “We ran some tests and found white fungus,” the PMCH doctor explained.

The fungus is thought to be especially harmful to people with compromised immune systems, such as diabetics and people who have been on steroids for a long time – one of the therapies for serious Covid cases, according to officials.