Karnataka reports 1,784 cases of black fungus, treatment may come under ABArK scheme

Amid the second Covid wave, Karnataka witnessed a surge in cases of mucormycosis in Covid patients. The government is taking steps to ensure this complication doesn't arise.

Karnataka has recorded 1,784 cases of black fungus or mucormycosis in Covid-19 patients, said health and medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar on Saturday, adding that 62 patients have recovered from the disease so far. Active cases of black fungus in the state stood at 1,564. About two to three weeks of treatment is necessary and it takes about five to six weeks for complete recovery. There have been 111 fatalities due to the fungal infection, said the minister. Karnataka has sufficient stocks of medicine to treat black fungus 9,750 vials of Amphotericin B drug have been allocated to the state by the Centre, 8,860 of these were received on Friday. “So far we have received 18,650 vials, 8,860 vials have been given to government hospitals and 9,740 vials have been provided to private hospitals,” informed Dr Sudhakar.