Black fungus notifiable disease, hospitals should inform govt before treatment: Karnataka Deputy CM Ashwathnarayan

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State COVID task force head Dr CN Ashwathnarayan on Thursday said that Mucormycosis or black fungus has been declared as a notifiable disease and none of the hospitals should give treatment for this disease without bringing to the notice of the concerned government authorities. Speaking to reporters during his visit to the Suttur Mutt, he said, "Government is providing treatment for black fungus in all the six division centres of the state and Mysuru Medical College will be providing the treatment in this region. Apart from this, the treatment is available in private hospitals also."

He also said that the drug required for the treatment of black fungus is at present is being imported and now a few companies have come forward to manufacture here itself. Once the manufacture begins here, it would resolve the issue of shortage of the drug. Deputy Chief Minister said that the RAT/RTPCR tests will be increased in all the 149 PHCs of the district including 25 in the city of Mysuru. The aim is to bring down the rate of positive cases.

"To avoid delay in drug procurement, the process is now being carried out through Karnataka State Drugs Logistics and Warehousing Society. This has ensured timely delivery of the required drugs," he said. He further informed that the government labs have been strengthened to conduct 1 lakh tests each day and private hospitals can handle 75,000 RTPCS tests every day.

"The government has taken steps to procure drugs which are enough to treat 35-40 lakh infected persons. Government labs have been strengthened to conduct 1 lakh tests each day and private hospitals can handle 75,000 RTPCS tests every day. Besides this, 50,000 RAT tests are being done every day," he said while adding that 30 lakh RAT kits have been procured and tenders have been floated to procure 1 crore RAT and RTPCR kits and they have been given 4G exemption. Talking about the oxygenated beds in the state he said that in the last one year the number of oxygenated beds is increased by 25,000 and 3,000 ventilators have been added.

"Karnataka has been allocated highest number of Remdesivir after Maharashtra," he said. Later on Thursday, he also convened a meeting with officers with regard to COVID management, wherein District Commissioner, CEO of Zilla Panchayat, Superintendent of Police, Medical officers were present.

Meanwhile, Karnataka reports 28,869 new #COVID19 cases, 52,257 recoveries and 548 deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the state health department on Thursday.