TheAssamgovernment has declared black fungus as a notifiable disease, making it mandatory for all Health facilities to report such cases to the health department through the district health authorities.
Assam detected the first black fungus ormucormycosis infectionin a Covid patient who died in a private hospital here recently. But according to health department sources, similar cases might have gone unreported, especially during the second wave, which has increased chances of more black fungus cases due to prolonged stay in the ICU.
The state health department issued the directive in pursuance of a letter from the Union ministry of health and family welfare under Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. Now all hospitals and medical colleges will have to follow the same guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of mucormycosis, issued by theUnion health ministryand the Indian Council of Medical Research (Icmr).