Gujarat government analyses rise in mucormycosis cases; here is what they found

The state government has recorded 3,726 cases so far of the fungal infection.

With the surge in the number of mucormycosis cases, the state government of Gujarat has set up a force of experts and doctors who will take charge on developing a policy on mucormycosis treatment. The body will comprise of 11 members and will make decisions for state on mucormycosis treatment as well as death audit guidelines too, a report by The IE noted. According to a statement issued by the Gujarat government, as many as 81 per cent of the total cases of black fungus in the state are under hospital treatment. To be sure, Gujarat has reported the maximum number of black fungus cases in India.

So far, 11,717 patients are going under treatment across India for mucormycosis and Gujarat accounts for 25 per cent of these cases. As per Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers DV Sadanand Gowda, 2,859 patients of mucormycosis are under treatment for mucormycosis in Gujarat. The state government has recorded 3,726 cases so far of the fungal infection. Out of these, four per cent of people have also succumbed to it and 14 per cent of total infected people have been discharged from hospitals after treatment.

The analysis by the state government has shown that people belonging to the age group of 45-60 years account for 46 per cent of total mucormycosis cases whereas 28 per cent cases were recorded amid the age group of 18-45 years. Senior citizens have made up for 25 per cent of the total cases of fungal infection. Also, it is to note that the infection rate was found to be higher in men than women as 67 per cent patients were men and 33 per cent patients in Gujarat were women.

The report noted that 33 per cent of total mucormycosis patients in Gujarat needed oxygen support during their treatment for Covid-19 infection and others did not need it. However, nearly half of the mucormycosis patients undergoing Covid-19 treatment were administered steroids. A majority of these patients have a history of diabetes whereas 22 per cent of these patients have their immune system compromised.

Meanwhile, Dr Kamlesh Upadhyay and Dr Bela Prajapati from medicine and ENT departments respectively at BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad, Dr Girish Parmar, dean of Government Dental College in Ahmedabad, Dr Hansa Thakkar form MJ Institute of Ophthalmology in Ahmedabad, Dr Ashwin Vasava from medicine department and Dr Anand Chaudhary from ENT department of Surat Government Medical College; Dr Sejal Mistry from ENT department and Dr Niti Sheth from ophthalmology department of PDU Medical College in Rajkot; Dr BI Goswami from medicine department of MP Shah Medical College in Jamnagar and Dr Sushil Jha from ENT department and Dr Nilesh Parikh from ophthalmology department of Bhavnagar Medical College have been included as members of state appointed team.