The Delhi Government on Thursday issued regulations under the Epidemic Diseases Act (EDA) on black fungus. Lieutenant-Governor, Anil Baijal subjected the regulations citing the threat of a Mucormycosis outbreak in the national Capital.
According to the notification, all Government and private healthcare facilities and medical institutions are required to follow the guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of the diseases issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as amended from time to time. The gazette notification says: “These regulations may be called ‘The Delhi Epidemic Diseases (Mucormycosis) Regulations, 2021’ and shall come into force at once. They will remain valid for one year from the date of publication in the official gazette.”
Further, all medical institutions will report each and every suspected or confirmed case of Mucormycosis to the Health Department through the concerned Medical Superintendent/Medical Director/Hospital Incharge/Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) of the concerned district. “No person/institution or organisation will spread any information or material for management of Mucormycosis without prior permission from Department of Health and Family Welfare, the Government of NCT of Delhi,” it read further.
The guidelines make it mandatory for all such facilities to report suspected and confirmed cases to the health department through district-level officers and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP).
Further, any person or institution disobeying these regulations or order issued under these regulations shall be deemed to have committed as offence punishable under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code – 45 of 1,860.