18-month-old girl infected with black fungus admitted to Kakinada GGH

KAKINADA/VIJAYAWADA: The first case of an infant infected with black fungus in the State was reported in Kakinada Government General Hospital on Friday. Dr Krishna Kishore, incharge of black fungus cases, said the baby hailing from Tanuku in West Godavari district is being treated as per protocol in the ICU of Pediatric Ward as 48 black fungus patients with comorbidities are undergoing treatment in the GGH.

According to sources, the girl’s parents contracted Covid-19 15 days ago and underwent home quarantine. When the baby developed fever 10 days ago, she was treated by a pediatrician in Tanuku. She was brought to the Out Patient Department of Kakinada GGH with periorbital swelling.Though there is a rise in the number of black fungus cases in the State, there is an acute shortage of drugs to treat the infection. During a review meeting with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Covid on Friday, health officials informed him that a total of 808 cases have been reported across the State, but Amphotericin B vials to treat the fungal infection are not enough.

A total of 5,200 vials were sent to the State by the Centre, which are not even 10 per cent of the drug required to treat the black fungus cases. As there is a need for 40,000 vials, the Chief Minister directed the officials to explore alternatives to overcome the crisis. He also instructed them to coordinate with pharmaceutical companies and procure adequate number of vials to treat the fungal infection cases.