Nearly 5,500 Cases Of Black Fungus Have Been Reported So Far, Says Govt

Mumbai: While chairing the 27th Group of Ministers Meeting on COVID19, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said this morning that a majority of these patients had a history of Covid19 and more than half of them also had diabetes.

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“Till now, 5,424 cases of Mucormycosis have been reported in 18 States/UTs. Out of 5,424 cases, 4,556 patients have a history of COVID-19 infection. 55 per cent of the patients had diabetes,” Harsh Vardhan said.

However, the Centre has also written to states asking them to declare mucormycosis as an epidemic under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1987.

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“All govt and private health facilities and medical colleges have to follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis,” a letter by the Health Ministry to all states read. As per the letter, all confirmed or suspected cases of black fungus will have to be reported to the Health Ministry.

Several states across the country, including Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh is facing cases of black fungus.

Meanwhile, the state experts will be undertaking a study to find out if the rise in mucormycosis cases was linked to the use of industrial oxygen and its possible contamination during the treatment.

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