The new scourge, Black fungus is spreading its tentacles across India at a rapid pace. On Thursday, the Central government said the states should declare the disease notifiable under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
Mucormycosis, a new cause for worry after the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infection, has infected at least 7,250 people in India. Also known as black fungus, the infection is a Covid-19 complication which has killed at least 219 people in the country, according to the figures shared by officials in 13 states and Union territories with HT.
On Thursday, the Central government said the states should declare the disease notifiable under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, meanwhile, has called for three government hospitals in the city – Lok Nayak, GTB and Rajeev Gandhi hospitals – to be set up dedicated centres for black fungus cases.
Here is a list of how it is spreading:
• Maharashtra: The state has 1,500 cases of mucormycosis and 90 deaths due it.
• Gujarat: As many as 1,163 cases of mucormycosis have been detected and 61 people have died due to it.
• Madhya Pradesh: The state has 575 cases of and 31 deaths due to mucormycosis.
• Haryana: As many as 268 cases, eight deaths due to mucormycosis have been reported in Haryana.
• Delhi: The national capital has registered 203 cases of mucormycosis and one death due to it.
• Uttar Pradesh: The state has registered 169 cases of mucormycosis and eight deaths due to it.
• Bihar: As many as 103 cases, 2 deaths due to mucormycosis have been registered in Bihar.
• Chhattisgarh: Mucormycosis has been detected in 101 people and one person has died in the state because of it.
• Karnataka: While 97 cases of mucormycosis have been reported in this southern state, the number of people who died due to it stand at zero, according to official data.
• Telangana: As many as 90 cases of mucormycosis have been detected here and 10 deaths have also been recorded.
The mucormycosis infections, which was rare when it first emerged, has resulted in high demand for the anti-fungal drug Amphotericin B, used to treat mucormycosis. The Delhi high court on Thursday suggested that the Centre procures the drug internationally to meet the demand in the country.
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