Chennai: Mucormycosis, commonly known as the black fungus infection, was on Thursday declared a “notified disease” in Tamil Nadu under the State’s Public Health Act, 1938. A notification to this effect was issued by Governor Banwarilal Purohit hours after Health Secretary J Radharkrishnan said nine cases of black fungus infections were recorded in Tamil Nadu.
“By declaring it as a notifiable disease, the advantage is that both government and private hospitals should submit reports of patients undergoing treatment for mucormycosis. It will enable us to tell how many patients are admitted to hospitals and districts-wise,” Radhakrishnan told journalists. In other words, hospitals will be mandated to immediately notify the Directorate of Public Health.
Of the nine patients, seven had diabetes, while two others were non-diabetics. “The eyes of seven patients have been affected. All are undergoing treatment. Their condition is stable,” he said, adding, the State has not recorded any case of a patient dying of mucormycosis.
Tamil Nadu has also set up a 10-member panel to monitor the black fungus infection. The committee includes the directors of Medical Education, Public Health and Preventive Medicine and doctors.
