New Delhi, 21st May 2021: Black fungus Mucormycosis is spreading rapidly in India. In the past month, more than five thousand infected people have been identified in the country. In view of the rapidly spreading infection, the Central Government has urged all the States and Union Territories to notify it under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

After Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, now the governments of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, Odisha and Telangana have also declared it as a notified disease under the Epidemic Disease Act-1897.

At present, nine people infected with ‘black fungus’ are undergoing treatment in the state, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said on Thursday. Six of these are old, while three are new cases. The sufferers in seven cases are diabetics and have recently recovered from Covid-19. Everyone’s condition is stable.

He said that the ‘black fungus’ had come into existence even before the onset of the epidemic. Uncontrolled blood sugar, steroid intake and prolonged stay in intensive care units make you more susceptible to this infection.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said that Mucormycosis is now a notified disease in the state. No hospital or health centre that has the capacity to treat the infection can refuse to admit any patient. An official order in this regard will be issued soon.

Telangana, meanwhile, declared ‘black fungus’ a notified disease and ordered all government and private health centres to follow the guidelines laid down by the Center for its diagnosis, diagnosis and management. The governments of Odisha and Assam have also notified ‘Black Fungus’ under the Epidemic Diseases Act-1897 and made it mandatory to share information of all confirmed and suspected cases with the Health Department.

More than 40 deaths were recorded, Rajkot and Saurashtra region most affected, Surat Medical College set up separate wards for treatment.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to take appropriate action and report on deaths and infections caused by black fungus. The NHRC instructed the ministry that the concerned authority would take appropriate action in the matter and the complainant must be informed of the action taken on the issue within eight weeks.

Supreme Court lawyer and social activist Radhakant Tripathi has appealed to the NHRC to take immediate action by filing a petition on black fungus. He said that more than three thousand people across the country, including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi and Odisha, are suffering from black fungus. He alleged that neither the Center nor any state government is serious about the disease.