6 more die of black fungus, virtual ICUs to come up in hosps
LUCKNOW : As many as 23 fresh black fungus cases surfaced and six more people succumbed to the infection in UP on Thursday, pushing the case tally to 170 and the fatality count to 17, said KGMU officials.
In wake of the situation, the state government decided to set up virtual ICUs in hospitals treating black fungus cases and shot off a letter to the central government for the supply of the medicine (amphotericin B injections) required for treatment of this infection.
Virtual ICUs will enable doctors to take guidance for treatment of patients from medical experts of KGMU and SGPGI.
Of the total cases, 73 were reported at the King George’s Medical University (KGMU), two at the Era Medical College, seven at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, 20 at Chandan Hospital and four at SIPS Hospital in Lucknow while seven patients were under treatment in Varanasi, they said.
On Thursday, four patients died at the KGMU, taking the death toll here to eight, while one black fungus patient died at RMLIMS in Lucknow, one each at private hospitals (SIPS and Chandan) in Lucknow and two patients in Gorakhpur.
“A 38-year-old woman from Meerut, a 73-year-old man from Kanpur, a 62-year-old woman from Gorakhpur and a 65-yearold woman from Ayodhya died during the day. One patient was discharged after treatment,” said Dr Sudhir Singh, spokesperson, KGMU.
“Till Thursday morning, 169 black fungus cases were reported in the state,” said Dr DS Negi, director-general (medical health).
On Thursday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed that all medical colleges in the state where black fungus patients were undergoing treatment will have virtual ICUs and medicine for black fungus should be made available.
Keeping in view the rise in black fungus cases, the state government had also constituted an expert committee under the PGI director that recommended methodology for preventing black fungus among Covid patients under treatment.
The chief minister, while addressing Covid-19 review meeting on Thursday, asked officials to ensure sufficient quantity of medical aid required for the treatment of black fungus.
“Ensure adequate availability of all essential medicines by communicating with health experts regarding the cause and treatment method of black fungus. A letter should be sent to the government of India requesting to increase the allocation,” he said.
“Black fungus was reported among recovered Covid patients hence guidelines have been made to prevent it among Covid patients,” said Alok Kumar, principal secretary, UP government, who circulated the new guideline among all medical institutes.
Gorakhpur AIIMS has decided to run OPD for post Covid patients following deaths of two black fungus patients in the district. In Meerut, 21 patients and three deaths have been reported.