Black Fungus Cases In India Breach 30,000-Mark; Maharashtra Tops Chart With Over 7,000 Infections

One of the reasons for this spur in the cases is also said to be the shortage of Amphotericin-B, the drug which is being used to treat the fungal disease.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: A growth of over 150 per cent has been observed in the Black fungus cases across states within the last three weeks. The increase in the cases comes at a time when the country’s crippled health infrastructure has still not overcome the burden of Coronavirus’ first wave while also trying to fight the second and get ready for the third. 

Maharashtra is leading the tally with a total of 7,057 cases and 609 deaths, while Gujarat stands at the second place with 5,418 cases and 323 deaths. Rajasthan is the third state with 2,976 cases but Karnataka occupies third spot with 188 deaths. The spike has led the total count of cases to reach 31,216 with 2,109 deaths.  

One of the reasons for this spur in the cases is also said to be the shortage of Amphotericin-B, the drug which is being used to treat the fungal disease. Owing to the shortage of drug, many private hospitals that had earlier come forward to help in the treatment of the disease have now started taking a step back.

Prime Minister Modi had also termed the disease a “new challenge”, while adding the importance of ‘creating a system’ to deal with it. Earlier this week, the Bombay High Court had directed the Centre to furnish details about the quantity of drugs allotted to various states. 

" At least a quarter of the (drug)allocation of the country should come to Maharashtra; we want to see if there is an equitable allocation," it said. 

Last month, the Centre had asked all states to declare Black Fungus as an “epidemic”, which means any suspected or confirmed case of black fungus was supposed to be reported to the Ministry of Health under the Epidemic Diseases Act. 

Black fungus is a major post Covid-19 complication, affecting people with high sugar levels, low immunity causing symptoms like discolouration over the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, etc.