As cases rise, state to notify black fungus as epidemic

Jharkhand has so far reported six deaths, 21 cases of black fungus

RANCHI: With surging cases of mucormycosis (black fungus) in Jharkhand, the state government was all set to notify the disease as an epidemic for effective monitoring, screening, diagnosis and management of the disease, officials said on Friday.

Jharkhand has so far reported 21 cases of mucormycosis in different hospitals, including 12 in Ranchi’s Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). The state has so far reported six deaths due to black fungus.

Following the Centre’s recent order on May 19, the state health department has initiated the process and moved the concerned file for notifying the disease under the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 for the chief minister’s approval. “The process has been initiated and the concerned file has been sent to upper level for necessary approval,” said state epidemiologist Dr Praveen Karn.

The Centre shot off a letter to states requesting to make mucormycosis notifiable disease under the aforesaid Act, wherein all government and private health facilities will follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of the disease issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

After notifying the disease as epidemic, it will be mandatory for all medical facilities to report infections to a central disease surveillance network.

The rare life-threatening disease, mucormycosis, that was rapidly popping up across the state as a post-Covid-19 complication, has posed another challenge for health mandarins. “The biggest challenge is the early detection and timely treatment of mucormycosis infection. Delay in treatment would prove fatal. As soon as the patient complains of pain in any of the areas, including face, nose, eye, he or she should get a CT scan or MRI done,” said Dr Pradeep Bhattacharya, in-charge of Covid-19 centre at RIMS.

He added that unavailability of medicine was another big challenge. “The vital medicine for this fungal infection is Liposomal Amphotericin B-50 mg injection. A patient infected with mucormycosis requires six vials a day. In open market, this injection costs around ₹6,000 per vial,” Dr Bhattacharya said.

Another RIMS doctor said, “The treatment of this infection continues for a long span of time, nearly around one month.”

In order to made the vital drug available, state Mission Director, National Health Mission, wrote to all civil surgeons, six government-owned medical colleges and two other hospitals --TMH and Bokaro General Hospita--seeking details of number of patients in their respective districts and requirement of Amphotericin injections.

The process has been initiated and the concerned file has been sent for necessary approval DR PRAVEEN KARN, epidemiologist