Chandigarh, Jun 2 :Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu Today said that the state government is committed to save the lives of patients suffering from Mucormycosis (Balck Fungus) in the same spirit as it has been fighting for prevention and control of COVID-19.
The Minister said that after analyses of health experts, it has come to light that diabetes is a major risk factor in Mucormycosis cases.
He said that 300 cases of Mucormycosis had been reported in the State so far and out of these 259 cases were from Punjab and 41 cases were belonging to other states. He informed that 23 patients got cured 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.
The Minister informed that 25 per cent of cases of Mucormycosis were in age group 18-45, 38 per cent in 45-60 and 36 per cent cases were in the age group of above 60 years. He said that about 80 per cent of the Mucormycosis cases were covid cases and 87 per cent cases of Mucormycosis had Diabetes as a major risk factor. 32 per cent of the cases were immunocompromised.
Out of 43 patients who died, 88 per cent had COVID, 86 per cent had history of steroid intake, 80 per cent were diabetics, he added.
Mr Sidhu appealed to patients who are tested COVID positive or who had COVID in recent past and are diabetic should avoid steroids and should consult the doctors if they have nasal stuffiness, blackish discharge from nose or discoloration of inside mouth so that treatment could be initiated at the earliest.
He pointed out that Union Government has supplied very less quantity of injection Amphotericin against the demand raised by the Punjab Government. He said that expert committee had advised the use of alternate drugs Posaconazole and Itraconzole which are being procured by the State Government which has been supplied to the hospitals for the management of each case of Mucormycosis.
Notably, Punjab Government has already notified Mucormycosis under Epidemic Disease Act.(UNI)