Black Fungus: 11,717 cases reported till now; Centre allocates 29,250 more Amphotericin-B vials to states, UTs

New Delhi: The government has allocated 29,250 additional vials of Amphotericin-B drug to states and Union Territories, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Sadananda Gowda said on Wednesday. Amphotericin-B is used to treat Mucormycosis, also known as Black Fungus, which damages the nose, eyes, sinuses, and sometimes even the brain. “Additional 29,250 vials of Amphotericin- B drug, used in treatment of Mucormycosis, have been allocated to all the states/UTs today. The allocation has been made based on the number of patients under treatment which is 11,717 across the country,” Gowda tweeted. The government has allocated 7,210 vials to Gujarat, followed by 6,980 vials to Maharashtra as part of the 29,250 fresh allocation. Gujarat and Maharashtra are currently reporting high number of Mucormycosis infections in the country with 2,859 and 2,770 cases respectively. Other states like Andhra Pradesh (1,930), Madhya Pradesh (1,910), Telangana (1,890), Uttar Pradesh (1,780), Rajasthan (1,250), Karnataka (1,220), Haryana (1,110) also received additional vials to counter the disease. The government had allocated 19,420 vials of Amphotericin-B to various states, Union Territories (UTs) and Central Institutions on 24 May. Earlier on 21 May, the government had allocated 23,680 vials of the drug to various states and Union Territories. Mucormycosis is a very rare infection which is caused by exposure to mucor mould which is commonly found in soil, plants, manure, and decaying fruits and vegetables. It affects the sinuses, the brain and the lungs and can be life-threatening in diabetic or severely immuno-compromised individuals such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS. The doctors in India are documenting an alarming number of cases of Mucormycosis among patients with COVID-19 and those who have recently recovered. They believe that Mucormycosis may be triggered by the use of steroids, a life-saving treatment for severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients.