Most of the ‘Black Fungus’ cases and deaths have been reported from private hospitals in the district
Nagpur: At a time when Covid-19 cases are declining in Nagpur, the patients of Mucormycosis are increasing mainly due to low immunity and aggressive use of steroids during corona treatment.
According to statistics revealed by the official sources, Nagpur district has recorded a total 1,301 Mucormycosis cases and 122 deaths up to June 7. Most of the cases and deaths have been reported from private hospitals in the district, as per the official data. Since the decline in the number of new cases of COVID-19 and improvement in recovery, now the Mucormycosis or ‘Black Fungus’ in post-Covid period is hogging the headlines. The issue attracted so much attention locally as well as nationally that the Central Government had to issue guidelines to State Governments and Union Territories in this regard. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had mentioned following factors leading to Mucormycosis infection — uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression by steroids, prolonged ICU stay, comorbidities post transplant/malignancy, and Voriconazole therapy.
As far as Nagpur district is concerned, it recorded 1,301 cases of Mucormycosis till June 7. Most of these cases — 897 in number — were reported from private hospitals, and 404 were from Government hospitals. Of the total 1,301 cases recorded, the number of patients who succumbed to the infection stands 122. Here, too, as many as 99 deaths were reported from private hospitals and 23 from Government hospitals. The cumulative death rate in Mucormycosis cases was 9.37 per cent as on June 7 in Nagpur district as a whole. The official data revealed that the death rate was 11.03 per cent in case of private hospitals, and it was 5.69 per cent in Government hospitals.
Till June 7, total 466 patients were admitted in hospitals, and 915 had undergone surgeries. Of total admissions, maximum 254 were in Government hospitals and 212 were in private hospitals. Further, 915 had undergone surgeries. Of these, 705 underwent surgeries in private hospitals and 210 in Government hospitals. So far, a total 661 patients were discharged including a maximum 567 from private hospitals and 94 from Government hospitals.
As far as Nagpur Division is concerned, it had a total 1,550 cases of Mucormycosis including 1,114 reported in private hospitals and 436 in Government hospitals. The Division also saw a total 131 deaths including 107 in private hospitals and 24 in Government hospitals. The cumulative number of patients admitted to hospitals was 634 (352 in private hospitals and 282 in Government hospitals). As many as 1,040 had undergone surgical procedures including 825 in private hospitals and 215 in Government hospitals. As on June 7, the progressive total of discharged patients was 733 including maximum 636 from private hospitals and 97 from Government hospitals.
