Assam government issues advisory amid surge in black fungus cases

Assam, like several other parts of the country, is witnessing a surge in cases of black fungus among recovered Covid-19 patients.

The Assam government has issued new SOPs for black fungus or mucormycosis after a patient who had recovered from Covid-19 died due to black fungus infection. The 27-year-old man, hailing from central Assam’s Nagaon district, succumbed to black fungus infection on May 19 at a private hospital in Guwahati. With uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, especially diabetic keto acidosis lmmuno suppressed patients (post transplant malignancy, injudicious use of high dose of steroids, Etolizumab/Tocilizumab An order issued by the Assam health department on Thursday stated, “A suspected case of mucormycosis (black fungus) has been detected in a hospital in Guwahati and a large number of similar cases have been reported from other parts of the country and there is a likelihood of increase in the number of such cases in the near future.” The new SOPs have been notified with immediate effect to “screen, diagnose and manage such cases of mucormycosis (black fungus) in Covid patients, and to contain the future spread of the disease and provide treatment as per protocol to the patients affected by such disease.