Centre urges states to notify 'Black Fungus' under Epidemic Disease Act as cases surge

As 'Black Fungus' cases rise across India, Union Joint Health Secretary Lav Agarwal on Thursday, urged states to declare mucormycosis as a notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. This move will mandate all government and private hospitals to follow ICMR's guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis and report all such cases to respective Chief Medical officers. Several states have complained to the Centre about the shortage of anti-fungal drug Amphotericin B - used to treat the infection.

Centre urges states to declare disease under Epidemic Act

States declare black fungus under Epidemic Act

Black fungus infection cases rise across India with Maharashtra reporting the highest - 2000 cases and 90 deaths, followed by Gujarat with 1163 cases. Madhya Pradesh has reported 281 such cases and 27 deaths, followed by Uttar Pradesh (73 cases, 2 deaths) and Telangana (60 cases). Telangana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana have notified Black fungus as a disease under the Epidemic Act currently in force in all states, to let patients avail treatment under govt insurance.

Centre has advised people doctors and healthcare professionals to refrain from excessive use of steroids to treat COVID-19 patients to prevent side effects and complications such as black fungus. The govt has also roped in pharmaceutical manufacturers to ramp up production of Amphotericin B which was being prescribed by most physicians to treat Black fungus. Moreover, on reviewing the demand pattern for Amphotericin, the Centre's Department of Pharma has allocated the drug to states/UT from May 10 to May 31.

What is the 'Black Fungus' infection?

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection that mainly affects people who are on medication for other health problems that reduce their ability to fight environmental pathogens. While it is very rare, it can lead to loss of the upper jaw and sometimes even the eye. Sinuses of such individuals get affected after fungal spores are inhaled from the air. Warning signs include pain and redness around the eyes and/or nose, fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, bloody vomit and altered mental status. This infection has been witnessed in cases of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression by steroids, prolonged ICU stay and co-morbidities and required a team of microbiologists, internal medicine specialists, intensivist neurologists, ENT specialists, ophthalmologists, dentists, surgeons, and others for treatment. The medical treatment entails installing peripherally inserted central catheter, maintaining adequate systemic hydration, infusing normal saline IV before Amphotericin B infusion and conducting antifungal therapy for 4-6 weeks with patients monitored clinically and with radio-imaging.