Health Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu today said thatCaptain Amarinder Singh led Punjab Government is committed to save the lives ofpatients suffering from Mucormycosis (Balck Fungus) in the same spirit as ithas been fighting for the prevention and control of COVID-19. He said that afteranalyses of health experts, it has come to light that diabetes is a major riskfactor in Mucormycosis cases.
Mr. Sidhu said that 300 cases of Mucormycosis had beenreported in the State so far and out of these 259 cases were from Punjab and 41cases were belonging to other states. He further informed that 23 patients gotcured and 234 patients are under treatment in various hospitals of the State,however, 43 patients of Mucormycosis had died during the course of the disease.
Health Minister informed that 25% of cases ofMucormycosis were in the age group 18-45, 38% in 45-60, and 36% cases were in theage group above 60 years. He said that about 80% of the Mucormycosis caseswere covid cases and 87% cases of Mucormycosis had Diabetes as a major riskfactor. 32% of the cases were immunocompromised.
Out of 43 patients who died, 88% had COVID, 86% hadhistory of steroid intake, 80% were diabetics, he added.
Mr. Sidhu appealed to patients who are tested COVIDPositive or who had COVID in the recent past and are diabetic should avoid steroidsand should consult the doctors if they have nasal stuffiness, blackishdischarge from nose or discoloration of inside mouth so that treatment could beinitiated at the earliest.
Health Minister pointed out that GoI has supplied veryless quantity of injection Amphotericin against the demand raised by PunjabGovernment. He said that the expert committee had advised the use of alternatedrugs Posaconazole and Itraconazole which are being procured by the State Govtwhich has been supplied to the hospitals for the management of each case ofMucormycosis.
Notably, Punjab Government has already notifiedMucormycosis under Epidemic Disease Act.