Maharashtra has recorded 3,200 cases of Black Fungus, the state government said. (Representational)
Mumbai:
The Maharashtra government on Thursday informed the Bombay High Court that the state has so far recorded 3,200 cases of mucormycosis, also known as Black Fungus, a serious infection being found in COVID-19 patients.
As against Maharashtra’s requirement of 14,000 vials per day, the state was receiving only 4,000 to 5,000 doses each day, the state’s counsel Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, told the court.
He said there were “very few” manufacturers of anti-mucormycosis drugs and injections, hence there was a shortage across the country.
“There are 3,200 cases of mucormycosis as of now in the state. Mucormycosis has been declared a notified disease, so when the health-care establishment receives a patient, they have to inform public health officials, so at the state-level we can have complete data of patients,” he told the High Court.
As the data available on May 26, Mumbai has recorded 335 cases of mucormycosis so far, the state informed a bench of Justices Amjad Sayyad and GS Kulkarni.
The bench was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations (PILs), seeking proper management of issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Civic body Kumbhakoni and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) advocate, senior counsel Anil Sakhre, informed the court that they were keeping records and maintaining data of such cases.
The state also said it had developed an online portal to maintain records of mucormycosis cases and medicines available for the infection.