BLACK FUNGUS Alert! Centre directs state governments to declare mucormycosis as an epidemic

The central government on Thursday has directed all states to declare ‘black fungus’ or mucormycosis an epidemic. Rajasthan, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu have declared it as a notifiable disease under the epidemic act. 

According to a news agency Asian News International (ANI), “Union Health Ministry urged States to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897.” 

“All government and private health facilities, medical colleges to follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis, issued by MoHFW (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research,” Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal has said in a letter to the state governments. 

Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishna said, “We are making Black Fungus a notifiable disease under the Public Health Act. So now, we'll know what all cases are there. Luckily, we've officially only 9 reported cases & all are stable. Now, we'll also get the data from private hospitals”, ANI reported. 

Mucormycosis or black fungus is a complication caused by a fungal infection. People get infected by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. This is generally observed in Covid-19 patients. Rajasthan has reported over 100 such cases of mucormycosis, the state government said. 

The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 is a law meant for the containment of epidemics by providing special powers that are required for the implementation of containment measures to control the spread of the disease. It was first enacted to tackle the bubonic plague in Mumbai in former British India.  

This rare fungal infection was initially spotted among Covid-19 patients in Gujarat and Maharashtra is on the rise in several parts of the country. 

On Wednesday, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope while speaking to the media Wednesday revealed that the state government has issued a global tender for Amphotericin B vials required to treat black fungus. 

At least 1500 Covid-19 patients are suffering from black fungus in the state while 90 persons have passed away owing to this infection, he added.