State declares Black Fungus as a notifiable disease

• MCC Pourakarmika succumbs; two patients from Chamarajanagar shifted to Mysuru
• Government yet to decide on who will bear the cost of treatment in Private Hospitals

Mysore/Mysuru: The number of mucormycosis or Black Fungus cases are mounting across the State, with districts reporting a rush of post-COVID fungal infections in the past few days. Mysuru has reported one more death yesterday and the first death had occurred on May 13, though the authorities were quick to deny it later though the doctors had confirmed it.

Two contract employees — frontline warriors — of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) had contracted the disease and were admitted to K.R. Hospital and of them, one person died of Black Fungus.

The victim has been identified as 38-year-old Ravi, who was working as an ambulance driver in the MCC. MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag confirmed the cause of death in the case of Ravi as mucormycosis. 

Another employee, Vinod, a fogging auto driver, too succumbed to COVID-19. He was also being treated for black fungus. “I was speaking to Ravi and he was recovering well. Sadly he died due to Black Fungus,” Shilpa Nag told reporters.

“We will give Rs. 5 lakh compensation to the next of kin of those employees who die of the virus. As it was announced in the previous Budget, if permanent Pourakarmikas die, the Government will provide Rs. 30 lakh compensation to their dependents. Presently six Pourakarmikas are being treated for the virus and among them, four are in home isolation and two have been admitted at COVID Care Centre,”  Shilpa Nag said.

Two cases in Chamarajanagar

Meanwhile, Chamarajanagar also reported two Black Fungus cases and the patients have been shifted to K.R. Hospital. Reports from Chamarajanagar said that a 55-year-old from Kalanahundi in Chamarajanagar taluk, who was earlier admitted to a Private Hospital, and another 60-year-old person from Hangala in  Gundlupet taluk, who was earlier admitted at a Government hospital, are said to be infected with Black Fungus.

These are the first two Black Fungus cases that have been reported from Chamarajanagar and patients have been sent to Mysuru only after confirming mucormycosis infection, said Chamarajanagar health authorities.

Cost of treatment

Though the State Government has identified a small network of hospitals in Karnataka including the Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) to treat Black Fungus cases where the treatment is provided free of cost, the Government has not spelt out its strategy to treat the same disease in Private Hospitals.

The Government yesterday declared Black Fungus as a notifiable disease. A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to Government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks.

The Government has mandated all Private Hospitals to report cases to the Department of Health and Family Welfare. The order also stated that no Private Hospital that has the facilities for treatment should refuse admission to any patient.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar had said the treatment for Black Fungus must be given for seven consecutive weeks and costs Rs. 2-3 lakh. 

On who will bear the cost, Dr. Sudhakar said he would discuss with the Chief Minister the possibility of the State Government providing free treatment. While Private Hospitals charging anywhere between Rs. 4 to 6 lakh as a package for treatment of Black Fungus, the Government is yet to decide on the cost factor. 

The treatment protocol says that Black Fungus-infected patients have to be put on antifungal therapy with either Liposomal Amphotericin-B or Amphotericin-B injections administered for a 14-21-day period. One injection  dose of Amphotericin-B costs anywhere in the range of Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 9,000 and there is no word from the Government on the severe shortage of the drug.