Black fungus: Five dead in three days in Ludhiana

Among those still recuperating, 31 patients are at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, five each at SPS Hospital, Deep Hospital and Christian Medical College, four at civil hospital and one each at Mohan Dai Oswal and Fortis Hospital

As many as five Ludhiana residents have succumbed to mucormycosis or black fungus over the past three days and another 52 are still under treatment, the health department confirmed on Sunday.

(HT Photo)

Civil surgeon Dr Kiran Ahluwalia Gill said a committee had been formed to monitor the requirement of the medicines required for the treatment of the deadly fungal disease.

She said most of the patients diagnosed with it had diabetes and had previously recovered from Covid-19, indicating that use of immunosuppressant drugs during treatment may have spurred the fungal infection.

Among those still recuperating, 31 patients are at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, five each at SPS Hospital, Deep Hospital and Christian Medical College, four at civil hospital and one each at Mohan Dai Oswal and Fortis Hospital.

Deputy commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said there was no cause of panic, as the disease was manageable and curable, and there was adequate supply of treatment drugs.

Urging people to refrain from believing in any rumours and self-medication, Sharma said the disease was not new and had already been declared as an epidemic by the state government to monitor its prevalence.

Under law, all government and private health facilities need to report every suspected or confirmed case of the disease, and follow the guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of mucormycosis as issued by the Union health ministry and state health department.