Black Fungus cases decreasing in Godavari districts

Kakinada: Black Fungus cases are decreasing in East and West Godavari districts as the number of Covid19 cases is also coming down and the people are giving up medicines containing steroids.

There have been many black fungus cases in Godavari districts since May last. Some 130 black fungus patients were being treated at the GGH at a time. The number has decreased to 34 now.

GGH Superintendent Dr Mahalakshmi said nearly 420 patients got treatment for black fungus at the GGH, out of which 380 patients had to be put through surgeries. The remaining patients are being given medicines. The recurrence rate has also come down and this is a positive sign vis-à-vis the pandemic spread.

However, four days back, some patients who had undergone surgeries and got treatment staged a demonstration seeking supply of post-operative medicines. Unless they consume the medicines regularly for three or four months, the disease can revisit them.

She said there is no shortage of medicines for the black fungus treatment and the government is providing patients both medicines and injections.

The GGH has earned a good name in treatment of black fungus patients. A dedicated team led by the ENT Professor Dr Krishna Koshore was in the forefront. He performed surgeries on the black fungus patients.

“The black fungus cases have decreased and better treatment is given to the patients for four months at the hospital. Many patients had to have surgeries performed twice. Though the doctors performed a surgery, the fungus may still remain hidden in some corner of the jaw, eyes or other parts of the body, and it re-surfaces,” Dr Kishore said.

“Some patients have lost their eyes and jaws. If black fungus affects the brain, it can prove fatal,’’ said the doctor, who has retired from service by August end.

He said that the patients should take medicines for two months at a stretch. Otherwise, the disease can recur. As many as 63 patients died due to black fungus and several reasons like damage to lungs due to Covid19 virus and due to heart problems.

The national death rate is 38 per cent for black fungus cases but the rate was below 20 per cent at the GGH in Kakinada.

Meanwhile, three assistant professors and a professor in GGH have been trained on treating black fungus cases at the GGH and they are rendering the treatment to such patients.