Nashik region registers 576 black fungus cases, 23 deaths

NASHIK: The Nashik division, comprising five districts, has so far registered 576 cases of mucormycosis (black fungus) along with 23 deaths related to the infection.
The region’s two most densely populated districts of Nashik and Ahmednagar — the two worst affected during the second wave of the pandemic — has registered maximum number of mucormycosis cases. Also, the highest number of deaths due to this ailment so far has been reported from Nashik followed by Ahmednagar.
Dhule, Jalgaon and Nandurbar have also reported cases of mucormycosis, but Nandurbar is yet to report a death due to the black fungus infection.
Deputy director of state health department (Nashik division) P B Gandal told TOI most of the patients who are suffering from mucormycosis had recovered from Covid-19.
“Our feedback is that most of these patients with mucormycosis have a history of diabetes and were administered steroids while undergoing treatment for Covid,” he said.
According to him, the state health department has directed the health authorities to constantly update the data on mucormycosis so that the drug could be made available based on the number of patients undergoing treatment.
Health officials of some of the districts have not ruled out the possibility of further surge in mucormycosis cases.
“Mucormycosis can affect Covid patients, especially those with history of diabetes and were administered steroids during Covid treatment, within three months after their recovery. So there is a need to be alert and detect patients having symptoms of mucormycosis,” a health official from Nashik region said.
However, like other districts in the state, the Nashik region is facing acute shortage of Amphotericin B Injections — a key drug to treat patients suffering from this infection.
“In my district the available stock of Amphotericin B at present is 20 and since one patient needs six injections per day, it would meet the requirement for just three patients for one day. But the total number of patients in the district is much higher,” civil surgeon of a district said.