E-Paper
32 of 158 black fungus patients in Punjab have no Covid history
Any person who has taken excessive steroids for treatment of other diseases can contract the disease, says nodal officer for mucormycosis
Not all mucormycosis or black fungus patients in Punjab are those who recovered from Covid-19. According to health officials, out of 158 confirmed cases of mucormycosis in the state till Tuesday afternoon, 32 had never developed Covid symptoms even as virus has emerged as the most common factor among the patients fighting the fungal infection.
State’s nodal officer for black fungus Dr Gagandeep Singh said it is not necessary that only Covid-hit patients are prone to contract it. “Any person who has taken excessive steroids for treatment of other disease due to which he has become immune-compromised can contract the disease. Our experts are analysing every case minutely,” said the nodal officer.
The nodal officer said it’s not a contagious disease and is curable if the patient gets treatment in time.
According to media bulletin of mucormycosis, out of a total 158 patients in Punjab, 22 belong to other states. Of the 21 deaths, two patients were from outside the state.
Amphotericin-B injection
shortage another worry
The shortage of Amphotericin-B injections being administered to treat the mucormycosis patients has added to the woes of the state health authorities. So far, the fungus has claimed 21 lives in the state.
According to a senior health department functionary, the Centre on Tuesday sent 200 Amphotericin-B injections to Punjab against a daily requirement of 700 as 137 patients are availing treatment for the disease in different hospitals. Doctors say each patient needs 4-5 injections a day.
Keeping the existing scenario in mind, the Punjab government’s expert committee on black fungus led by Dr RPS Sibia, professor and head, department of medicine, Government Medical College Patiala, on Tuesday discussed alternative drugs to treat the fungus.
According to a senior health department functionary, the National Health Mission officials have already been given the task to procure some alternative drugs suggested by the experts from the open market.
The expert committee on Tuesday reportedly also invited Prof Arunaloke Chakrabarti, head of department of medical microbiology, PGIMER, for his suggestions on the issue.
