Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said here on Thursday that there were no deaths due to mucormycosis — also known as black fungus infection — in the State though about 100 cases had been confirmed.
Speaking to media persons, Mr. Narayan, who also heads the State COVID-19 task force, said there were speculations of at least three deaths due to the infection, but doctors subsequently clarified that they were not due to black fungus, the Minister said.
He reiterated that any case of mucormycosis has to be mandatorily reported to the government, which has notified it as a communicable disease and was paying special attention to its treatment. “As such, no private hospital can treat the infection without bringing it to the notice of the government. Likewise, hiding the infection and seeking treatment in secrecy was also an offence,” said Mr. Narayan.
He said the government had arranged for free treatment of patients infected by black fungus in the State and efforts were also being made to import the anti-fungal jab Liposomal amphotericin. But, the State has also taken measures to commence its manufacturing in due course and this would ease supply to a large extent, he said.
With regard to procurement of RAT and RT-PCR testing kits Mr.Ashwath Narayan said both the procurement and testing was being ramped up. The Government has decided to procure 1 crore RAT and RT-PCR kits so as to increase testing, he added. There was no restriction on their procurement and the concerned departments have been given the freedom to procure whatever was required, he added.
On the availability of Remdesivir, the Deputy CM said after Maharasthra it was Karnataka which had received the highest quantity and claimed that the supply and distribution of drugs related to COVID-19 has been streamlined. Earlier, he had called on Sri Shivaratri Deshikendra Swamiji of Suttur Mutt and had reviewed the COVID-19 treatment facilities in place in Mandya district.
