Mucormycosis Declared As Epidemic In Telangana After Rajasthan

Hyderabad: Mucormycosis (Black fungus) has been declared as an epidemic in Telangana on Thursday, informed officials. The state government has also declared the fungal infection as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Disease Act 1897.

According to reports, black fungus has showed its ugly head in Telangana due to which strict guidelines have been made by the state government in order to tackle it. The decision has been made following the rising cases of fungal infection among recovered Covid-19 patients in many states.

All healthcare facilities (government and private) have been advised to follow the guidelines for diagnosis, screening, and management of Mucormycosis that has been issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Government of India and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The Telangana government has made it compulsory that all medical superintendents shall ensure strict compliance and send daily reports with details of patients who may have the black fungus infection.

Meanwhile, the Director of Indian Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Hyderabad has said that black fungus infection is usually produced because of rotting soil, plants, manure, and fruits and vegetables.

As per the Union Health Ministry, people catch Mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. It can also develop on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn, or other types of skin trauma.

The United States National Library of Medicine report said that the fungal infection can be cured with amphotericin B. The particular antifungal drug is usually used to treat potentially life-threatening fungal infections as it can sometimes cause severe side effects.