Declare Black Fungus Or Mucormycosis A Notifiable Disease: Health Ministry Asks States

Black Fungus epidemic: The Central Government on Thursday wrote to all states and Union Territories urging them to declare 'Black Fungus', which is a post-COVID-19 complication, an epidemic.

The government in its letter told all the states that Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, should be a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, ANI reported. According to the letter, it is a rather rare but potentially fatal fungal infection showing a notable impact amid the second wave.

Union Health Ministry urged States to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897

— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2021

Black Fungus epidemic:

Under the 1897 Act, the authorities are required for the implementation of containment measures to control the spread of disease.

Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal mentioned in the letter that all government and private health facilities and medical colleges have to "follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis" issued by the ministry and the Indian Council for Medical Research.

All Govt & pvt health facilities, medical colleges to follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis, issued by MoHFW & ICMR: Union Health Ministry

— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2021

This move means that each and every medical hospital (private and government) will have to report all suspected or confirmed cases of mucormycosis, a condition seen in recovering COVID-19 patients, to the Ministry of Health. Medical superintendents working in COVID-19 facilities will be expected to send a daily report about cases of “black fungus” to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, ANI reported.

The fungal infection has been reported in several states amongst recovered COVID-19 patients especially those on steroid therapy and deranged sugar control. Read more about Black fungus here.

This notification came after the states like Rajasthan, Telangana, and now the Tamil Nadu government have also declared the black fungus as a notifiable disease under the epidemic act. Agarwal further noted that treatment of the disease required the use of Amphotericin B is an antifungal medicine, Mirror Now reported.

#Breaking: Health Ministry writes to states for making #Mucormycosis a notified disease. pic.twitter.com/ibjjuedUkB

— Ayushman Kumar (@Iam_Ayushmann) May 20, 2021

"This fungal infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst Covid-19 patients," the letter observed. Read about the Symptoms of Blank Fungus here.

Feature Image Credit: BBC