Medicines to treat black fungus to be easily available: DGHS

The health directorate is preparing a treatment protocol for the newly discovered black fungus among Covid patients, which is a rare disease but involves expensive treatment.

At a virtual briefing on Wednesday, the spokesperson of the Directorate General of Health Services Dr Nazmul Islam said the authorities were also working on making medicines for the treatment easily available.

There were cases of mucormycosis or black fungus before the pandemic but India recently saw a surge in infections of black fungus among Covid patients. Bangladesh so far detected two such cases.

Usually, people who have uncontrolled diabetes, a weak immune system or take excessive steroids are at risk of being infected by the fungus.

Covid patients, who have been given steroids and have uncontrolled diabetes, are facing the threat of the fungus, Nazmul said.

They normally get the infection two-four weeks after becoming Covid negative, he said, suggesting that if people come across any new physical symptom around that time, they should immediately consult a doctor.

Doctors have to be very cautious while prescribing steroids and no one should take antibiotics without doctor's advice, Nazmul said.

Bangladesh recorded deaths of 17 people from Covid, the lowest in 68 days, in 24 hours until 4:00 am on Wednesday. On 18 March, 16 people died and the daily death toll kept increasing since then.

The latest daily bulletin declared 1,497 new cases of infection against tests of 16,434 samples across the country. The daily infection rate dipped slightly to 9.11%. The previous day the figure was more than 10%.

With the latest figures, the number of total fatalities reached 12,458, and the infections 793,693 in the country. The fatality rate stood at 1.57%.

On the resumption of vaccination, Nazmul said, "We hope to deliver the first doses again from June-July." And second doses will be given once new batches of Oxford-AstraZeneca arrive. 

An agreement on the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine is expected to be finalised soon.  

The 1.2 crore doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine received from India have almost been depleted. Nearly 15 lakh people will have to wait for their second shots.

Nazmul Islam assured that the government "from the highest level" was trying to purchase vaccines and that people will get their second shots within the stipulated time of 12-16 weeks from the first jab.