Hyderabad: Gandhi, Koti ENT Hospitals Now Nodal Black Fungus Centre

The Telangana government is on high alert as the number of 'Black Fungus or Mucormycosis' cases are increasing. The state government designated Gandhi General Hospital and ENT Hospital in Koti as nodal centres for its treatment. The ENT hospital is the nodal centre for treating black fungus cases where as the patients tested positive for COVID-19 and developed black fungus will be treated at Gandhi Hospital.

The Director of Health and Family Welfare also issued guidelines to prevent black fungus infection in the COVID-19 patients. 

In a statement to the media, Dr. G Srinivasa Rao, the director of Public Health, said "Black fungus is not a new disease. Mucormycosis is more common in people with diabetes and organ transplants. It is treated with antifungal drugs along with surgical debridement. It is known that the disease is spread due to overuse of steroid medication given to patients during COVID and improper cleaning of oxygen delivery devices."

A few cases of black fungus were reported in Telangana and the state government is taking all the measures to tackle the black fungus disease. Necessary advisories are being given to private and government hospitals. According to the reports, there is a short supply of the drug Liposomal Amphotericin B that is used in the treatment of Black Fungus.