In India, the deadly black fungus or mucormycosis has affected approximately 5,500 people till now and has killed 126 of them. Maharashtra alone has accounted for 90 deaths. Several states are facing a shortage of liposomal amphotericin B, which is the anti-fungal drug required to treat the disease. Black fungus is increasingly seen in COVID-19 patients.

Haryana’s casualties are second highest with 14 mucormycosis deaths after Maharashtra. Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow has recorded 8 deaths of mucormycosis. The figures for the remaining state are unavailable. Jharkhand has recorded 4 deaths and two deaths each from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. Assam, Odisha, Bihar and Goa have reported one death each. Few states said that they have not collected data on mucormycosis cases and deaths till now.

Just a day after Rajasthan declared it as an epidemic, Gujarat, also followed the suit on Thursday. Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana have declared it a “notifiable disease” under the Epidemic Diseases Act, and made it mandatory to report every mucormycosis case to the state government.

Delhi, Odisha, Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka Gujarat, and Kerala stated that they either have shortage of the drug or the available stocks are fast depleting. Few of these states said that there were no stocks available in private pharmacies.

Maharashtra has accounted for over 70% of the black fungus deaths and has recorded 1,500 cases. The state is facing severe shortage of the liposomal amphotericin B drug since early April. Gujarat, too has 1,500 cases and faces the same problem. Healthcare sources have stated that only 10% of the affected patients are receiving the injections.

Odisha was almost left with no stock on Thursday and was waiting for vials to be sent by the Centre. Karnataka’s health minister, K Sudhakar stated that the state has only 1,000-odd vials of amphotericin B and an order for 20,000 vials is placed. Many states are approaching the Centre or negotiating with pharma companies.

Source: ET Healthworld