Alarmed over the rapid surge in the cases of black fungus, the Central Government on Thursday directed all States and Union Territories to declare mucormycosis an epidemic that will help its better management.
Now, all confirmed or suspected cases of the fungal disease have to be reported to the Union Health Ministry.
The Ministry’s recommendation come days after a few States like Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat notified the disease.
“In the recent times a new challenge in the form of a fungal infection namely mucormycosis has emerged and is reported from many states amongst Covid-19 patients, especially those on steroid therapy and deranged sugar control.
“This fungal infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst Covid 19 patients,” Joint Secretary in the Ministry, Lav Agarwal, said in the letter to the States.
The treatment of this fungal infection requires multidisciplinary approach consisting of eye surgeons, ENT specialists, general surgeon, neurosurgeon and dental maxillo facial surgeon, among others, and institution of Amphotericin-B injection as an antifungal medicine.
“You are requested to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, wherein all government and private health facilities, medical colleges will follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis, issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Gol) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
“And, make it mandatory for all these facilities to report all suspected and confirmed cases to health department through district-level chief medical officer and subsequently to Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) surveillance system,” the letter said. The AIIMS, Delhi is likely to come out with a guidelines on management of the disease soon.
The Telangana Government and Tamil Nadu too on Thursday declared the black fungus as a notifiable disease under the epidemic act. “We are making black fungus a notifiable disease under the Public Health Act. So now, we’ll know what all cases are there. Now, we’ll also get the data from private hospitals,” Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishna said on Thursday.
According to the doctors, black fungus is a complication caused by a fungal infection and people infect it by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. Covid-19 patients having diabetes or compromised immunity are vulnerable to the disease. At least 50 per cent cases result into fatality.