Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
New Delhi, May 24
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday India had so far recorded 5,424 cases of Mucormycosis, popularly called ‘Black Fungus’ from 18 states with the majority number coming from Gujarat and Maharashtra.
“Of the total number of Mucormycosis cases, 4,556 cases have a history of Covid-19 infection while the rest are non-COVID cases and 55 per cent have diabetes,” the minister said at the 27th meeting of the group of ministers on Covid-19.
Vardhan said 9 lakh vials of Amphotericin-B (antifungal injection) were being imported for treatment of Black Fungus and of this, 50,000 vials have been received and 3 lakh vials will be available in a week.
Chairing the GoM, the minister also said India was ramping up production of raw materials needed to boost domestic availability of Remdesivir injections and antifungal Amphotericin-B vials.
He noted the progress in Covid response saying “Today is the 11th day of recoveries exceeding new cases and the eighth day with less than 3 lakh daily new cases. This is a positive sign. Active cases are 27 lakhs as against over 37 lakh on May 10.”
Vardhan however expressed concern at high fatalities with National Centre for Disease Control Director Sujeet Singh saying that India’s Covid growth rate of 7.86 pc was still a matter of concern.
Singh cited data on cases, deaths, growth rate and how these compared to the rest of the world. .
The minister said 60 lakh Covid vaccine doses were still with the states and 21 lakh doses were being sent.
India has sequenced 25,739 samples so far to look for mutants and variant B.1.617 has been found in 5,261 samples, making it the most common mutation detected till now.
