Black fungus claims 76 lives in Bihar

PATNA: As many as 76 out of the 562 patients suffering from mucormycosis or black fungus in the state have died so far. The cumulative fatality rate of mucormycosis is 13.5% while the recovery rate stood at 17.7% as more than 100 patients have been discharged from the health facilities so far.
As per the data shared by the state health department, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences-Patna has registered maximum 175 cases of black fungal infection, followed by AIIMS-Patna (140), private hospitals (115), PMCH (77), Nalanda Medical College and Hospital-Patna (18) and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Bhagalpur (19).
As far as the fatalities due to mucor infection are concerned, 27 deaths have been reported from IGIMS, 19 in private hospitals, 15 at AIIMS-Patna, six at PMCH, four at JNMCH and one at NMCH.
Mucormycosis, a rare fungal infection, is being reported in patients getting treatment for Covid and in some cases after recovery from the coronavirus complications. The infection rate is high among diabetic or immunocompromised patients.
Dr Sanjeev Kumar, nodal officer for Covid-19 at AIIMS-Patna, said the number of mucor patients admitted there so far had crossed 150. While 18 of them died, 32 recovered and were discharged. “As many as 102 patients are undergoing treatment, of which 60 have gone through surgery. The mortality rate in mucor patients is high due to severity of the infection. There might be unreported deaths of black fungus as well, because some of the severe patients have taken the option of LAMA (left against medical advice), who have very little chances of survival. Almost 12 to 15 such patients have taken LAMA,” he said.
“The doctors have done evisceration in ten patients, including a few cases of exenteration (complete removal of eye leaving a hollow). Neurosurgery was also done in a few cases in which the infection travelled to the brain. Maxilla bone was removed in most of the cases to stop the spread of mucor. There were less than 10 cases of removal of mandible bone,” Dr Sanjeev said.
The doctors at AIIMS-Patna OPD claimed that more than 30 mucor patients come for admission per day but due to shortage of drugs and beds, only 5-6 are admitted.
The increase in their numbers is partly due to the severe shortage of the key drug - Amphotericin B. Minimum 50-60 vials of the injection are required to treat a mucor patient.
Dr Krishna Gopal, assistant professor, general surgery, at IGIMS said the hospital received around 700 vials of Amphotericin B injection on Saturday, which were already administered to the patients. “We have not got the fresh stock yet. The non-availability of drug led to delay in the treatment of mucor patients as each one needs six vials per day,” he said.
Paras HMRI regional director (east) Dr Talat Halim said 3 mucor patients were undergoing treatment. He said 24 such patients were admitted there so far and four of them died as the infection had travelled to their brain.