Mumbai: BMC to track discharged Covid-19 patients for fungal growth

Alarmed by a sudden spurt in lsquoblack fungusrsquo infections or mucormycosis in Mumbai the BMC has decided to follow up with all Covid19 patients post discharge There are 151 mucormycosis patients admitted to BMC and staterun hospitals in the city and most are from outside Mumbai said officials The fungus has a 70 per cent chance of mortalityThere are currently only two treatment options for mucormycosis Representation picHowever surgery and antifungal injections are two treatment options involving 34 weeks of hospitalisation Suresh Kakani additional municipal commissioner said ward officers have been told to check on recovered Covid19 patients ldquoEvery ward has a team that is managing and following up with Covid19 patients in their ward We have instructed them to closely monitor Covid19 patients post discharge for possible symptoms of mucormycosis This will help in screening and early detection of the fungal infectionrdquo said KakaniAlso read Why Covid19 patients are vulnerable to mucormycosis or black fungus causes symptoms preventionmidday had earlier reported on the rising number of Covid19 patients with the potentially fatal infection landing in city hospitals Many have also lost vision and had disfigurement of face because of lsquoblack fungusrsquoIn the preCovid19 era mucormycosis was known to be a rare serious fungal infection seen in patients with poor immunity It is caused by a group of moulds known as mucormycetes present naturally in the environment Mucormycosis is said to invade the facial bones the eye orbit and can sit in the brainldquoOur BMC run hospitals have 111 mucormycosis patients Less than 10 per cent are from the city Most of them come outside MMR like Nashik Sangli and Kolhapur Though extensive treatment is going on we are even considering surgeries if necessary The instructions have been given to the hospital to incur the expensesrdquo said KakaniThe official said the civic body has formed an expert team of doctors from ENT Ophthalmology Pathology Microbiology departments to train Covid19 hospital doctors and to ensure the right treatment The corporation is also floating tenders to procure the antifungal injection required to treat mucormycosis and has asked hospitals to buy it locally for the time beingDr Ramesh Bharmal dean of BYL Nair Hospital said there is no reason to panic ldquoPost Covid19 OPDs are available across the city and early detection is possible Every year 10 to 20 immunocompromised patients with comorbidity of diabetes cancer neuro disorder come with the disease for treatment So our medical colleges have the experience to handle this infectionrdquoHe added that they have started readying their operation theatre as this is a fungus infection As of now all the patients at Nair are responding to the treatment and there isnrsquot any need for immediate operations151No of mucormycosis patients at BMC and govt hospitals