Government asks States and UTs to make ‘Mucormycosis’ notifiable disease under Epidemic Act

The Union Ministry of Health on May 20, 2021, asked in a letter to the States and the Union Territories to make black fungus or Mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

In a letter, the Union Ministry states that the treatment of this fungal infection requires a multidisciplinary approach which consists of ENT specialists, Eye Surgeons, Neurosurgeon, General Surgeon, Dental Maxillofacial Surgeon, etc. as well as the institution of Amphotericin B as an antifungal medicine.

The letter further mentions that the States and UTs are requested to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

States are advised to declare #Mucormycosis a notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897.

All Government and private health facilities, medical colleges shall follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis & management of mucormycosis. pic.twitter.com/Bk925WCZDX

— Ashwini Kr. Choubey (@AshwiniKChoubey) May 20, 2021

Black Fungus under Epidemic Act: What will be different?

By declaring Black Fungus or Mucormycosis as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Act, all the private and government hospitals, medical colleges will have to follow the guidelines for the diagnosis, screening, and the management of Mucormycosis, issued by the Union Ministry of Health and the Indian Council of Medical Research.

In the latest announcement, the Ministry has also made it mandatory for all the health facilities to report all the confirmed and suspected cases to the Health Department through the district level Chief Medical officer and to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project- IDSP surveillance system.

Why there is a need to bring black fungus under Epidemic Act?

According to the Ministry of Health, in recent times a new challenge in the form of fungal infection namely Black Fungus or Mucormycosis has emerged and has been reported from many states across the country amongst the COVID-19 patients particularly those on steroid therapy and deranged sugar control.

It becomes significant to bring black fungus under the Epidemic Act as the fungal infection in the COVID-19 patients, who have been recovering or have recovered, is further leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst the Coronavirus patients.

Rising problem of Black Fungus in India:

• Till now, the cases of Mucormycosis have been reported in various parts of the country including Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar.

• As Rajasthan has seen a surge in the number of Black Fungus cases in the covid patients, the state government on May 19, 2021, declared the disease to be considered as an epidemic.

• The Haryana Government on May 18 had also formed the regulations called ‘The Haryana Epidemic Diseases (Mucormycosis) Regulations, 2021.

Background:

India has been seeing the latest surge in Black Fungus cases in those COVID-19 patients who have recovered or have been recovering from the disease. The fungal infection is usually caused by the high level of steroids used during Coronavirus treatment.

Mucormycosis can be bought by coming in the contact with the fungal spores in the environment. The infection can be developed on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a scrape, cut, burn, or any other form of skin trauma.