Centre asks all states and UTs to declare mucormycosis an epidemic

As per the letter, all confirmed or suspected cases of black fungus are supposed to be reported to the Health Ministry.

The Union Health Ministry on Thursday urged all states and Union Territories (UTs) to declare mucormycosis, commonly known as 'black fungus', an epidemic. The Health Ministry wrote a letter to all states and UTs asking them to notify black fungus as a disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and stated that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst the recovering patients infected with Covid-19.

All confirmed or suspected cases of black fungus are supposed to be reported to the health ministry. Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal has said in the letter that all government and private hospitals as well as medical colleges have to "follow the guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis." 

The treatment of black fungus involves a multi-disciplinary approach that includes eye surgeons, ENT specialists, general surgeons, neurosurgeons, dental facial surgeons and a special anti-fungal medicine, Amphotericin. The symptoms of mucormycosis are blackening or discolouration of the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, breathing difficulties, fever, headache, coughing and blood in vomit.

Diabetic patients are found to be most at risk including those who have kidney disorder, heart disease, cancer, immunosuppression by steroids, co-morbidities after transplantation and those who have stayed in the ICU for a long period. Rajasthan and Telangana are the two states that have already declared the disease an epidemic while Tamil Nadu that has reported only nine cases so far, has also notified the disease under its Public Health Act.