Jammu and Kashmir on Monday classified Mucormycosis, or ‘black fungus; as a notified disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act. The Health and Medical Education Department of the J&K government took to Twitter to make the announcement. “Under section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act 1897(Act no.3 of 1897) the Government of J&K notifies Mucormycosis as an Epidemic;’ Health and Medical Education Department J&K wrote on its Twitter handle. Jammu and Kashmir on Friday reported its first death due to black fungus after a 40-year-old Covid-19 recovered patient died of Mucormycosis at Government Medical College (GMC) hospital. On Sunday, Head of CD Hospital, Dr Naveed Nazir Shah quoted HoD Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Government Dental College Srinagar saying that one case of Mucormycosis was successfully operated at the institution in November while another “strong suspect” case is admitted there. Mucormycosis is a rare but fatal fungal infection, in which sinuses or lungs are affected after fungal spores in the air are inhaled. The incidence of this infection has traditionally been low — it was reported mainly in patients with uncontrolled diabetes. However, many hospitals in the countries are now reporting a significant increase in cases of ‘Covid-19-associated Mucormycosis (CAM)’. The Union Health Ministry made black fungus a notifiable disease, making it mandatory for states to report both suspected and confirmed cases to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (I DSP). The central government informed the Delhi High Court that as of May 19, there are 7,251 patients of black fungus in India. Some states have also reported fatalities due to black fungus, including 90 deaths in Maharashtra.
