Maharashtra classifies black fungus as notified disease, check details

Photo courtesy: PTI

Mumbai: Maharashtra has been witnessing a growth in the cases of Mucormycosis, and in a recent development the state government has declared the Black fungus as a notified disease.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Tuesday (May 25) said that the state government has classified black fungus as a notified disease. Addressing the media, Tope said, "There are 2,245 cases of black fungus in the state. The state government has classified black fungus as a notified disease."

"Under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, patients of black fungus will receive free treatment at state-run hospitals," the Maharashtra Health Minister further said. Several states and UTs have declared mucormycosis, also called black fungus, as an epidemic under the Epidemic Diseases Act (1897).

Tope also said that the current COVID-19 positivity rate is 12 per cent and the recovery rate is 93 per cent in the state. Talking about the state`s global tender for Covid-19 vaccines he said, "We haven`t received any response to the global tender for vaccine procurement. We are requesting the Central govt to float tender and provide us vaccines," he added.

The distribution of the injection used in the treatment of Black fungus, Amphotericin is under the central government. The injection will be provided to districts as the centre distributes them. 

131 hospitals have been earmarked for the treatment of the disease. Meanwhile, the state on Monday reported 22,122 new COVID19 cases, 42,320 recoveries and 361 deaths in the last 24 hours. There are 3,27,580 active cases in the state.