Woman undergoing treatment at pvt hospital in Tripura infected with ‘black fungus’

A 68-year-old woman undergoing treatment at a private hospital here has been infected with mucormycosis or ”black fungus”, Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said.

Tripura Government has declared mucormycosis, commonly known as ”black fungus” as a notifiable disease under Epidemic Disease Act, Nath, who is also the cabinet spokesperson told reporters at the civil secretariat on Friday.

The Union Health Ministry has directed states and union territories to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, health officials said.

“After one person was found to be infected with ”black fungus” on Friday, the state government has made all necessary arrangements for treating black fungus infected patients in Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and Tripura Medical College (TMC)”, Director of Health and Family Welfare, Radha Debbarma said.

Nath said the state government has formed a 4-member committee with paediatricians to look after COVID-19 infection among children after 36 children in two orphanages in the state capital, Agartala were recently found to be infected with coronavirus.

Meanwhile, at least 863 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura on Friday, pushing the tally in the state to 45,223, a health department official said.

The COVID-19 death toll rose to 454 with two more patients succumbing to the infection.

Tripura currently has 6,473 active coronavirus cases, while 37,369 people have recovered from the disease.

“In the vaccination drive, 15,34,142 doses have already been administered to 10,27,399 people who have received the first dose while the second dose has been given to 5,06,743 people,” Nath told reporters.

Tripura’s total population is approximately 40 lakh.

Nath said a total of 51,934 healthcare workers, 86,976 frontline workers, 5,18,461 people in 45-59 age group, 3,23,320 people in above 60 age group and 46,704 people in 18 -44 age group have already been administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In a special drive, 766 journalists, photojournalists and media persons have been vaccinated as frontline warriors, he added. PTI