New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday asked all states to make mucormycosis or “black fungus” a notifiable disease under the ‘Epidemic Diseases Act’. This means that all confirmed or suspected cases of black fungus will have to be reported to the health ministry once the disease is notified under the ‘Epidemic Diseases Act’. The move comes amid growing number of cases of black fungus, mostly seen in Covid-19 survivors, across the country.
The health ministry, in a letter, said that in 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.
“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 stated,.
Mucormycosis (black fungus) is primarily affecting people recovering from COVID. The disease is often characterised by hyphae growing in and around blood vessels and can be potentially life-threatening in diabetic or severely immunocompromised individuals. The treatment of this fungal infection requires a 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.
Earlier in the day, the Telangana government had declared fungal infection mucormycosis as a notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. The Rajasthan government on Wednesday declared ‘black fungus’ an epidemic, as many districts in the state are witnessing a rise in its cases.