Coronavirus: Maharashtra has reported 1,500 cases and 90 deaths from black fungus.

New Delhi:

The government has asked all states to declare mucormycosis or “black fungus” an epidemic. A letter from the Health Ministry asks states to make it a “notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act”.

This means all confirmed or suspected cases of black fungus, a condition seen in recovering Covid patients, have to be reported to the health ministry.

“All government and private health facilities and medical colleges have to follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis,” Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal has said in a letter to states.

Maharashtra has reported 1,500 cases and 90 deaths from black fungus.

Rajasthan and Telangana have already declared black fungus an epidemic.

Tamil Nadu, with only nine reported cases so far, has also notified the disease under its Public Health Act.