The rising cases of black fungus/ mucormycosis has pushed the Indian Government to direct states and Union territories to notify black fungus/ Mucormycosis under ‘Epidemic Act’.
The Union government said on Thursday that states should declare the disease notifiable under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, making it mandatory for all medical facilities to report infections to a central disease surveillance network. The Delhi government separately decided to set up special treatment facilities in three of its hospitals.
This new notification means that all confirmed or suspected cases of black fungus have to be reported to the Health Ministry. “All government and private health facilities and medical colleges have to follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis,” Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal has said in a letter to states.
Seeing the increasing number of black fungus cases, last week the Haryana government categorised it as a notified disease, making it imperative that government authorities be informed about each case. This will allow in the tracking and management of an outbreak.
AIIMS has also released new guidelines for detection and care for cases of black fungus or mucormycosis that has claimed the lives of several patients.
