By Team Newsfile 
Bhubaneswar, May 16: A day after the Naveen Patnaik formed a committee to monitor black fungus in Odisha, a 71-year-old man has become the first to succumb to Mucormycosis or black fungus in the state. This committee would consist of seven official members who would be monitoring the growth and spread of black fungus in Odisha.

Odisha man dies of black fungus 

The Odisha man had tested positive for Covid-19 on April 20. He was in home isolation and then, he started complaining of swelling in the eyes and blackish discharge from nose on May 8. 
He was admitted at a private hospital in Odisha. According to the sources in the health department, the elderly man had uncontrolled diabetes and died of cardiac arrest before a planned surgery on the affected organ. 

State-level committee to monitor mucormycosis

A few days ago, a least five such cases of black fungus were reported in the state. Now, the Odisha government has decided to form a committee to monitor black fungus in the state. 
The seven-member state-level committee will monitor the black fungus cases in Odisha among those admitted to different hospitals in the state and formulate a guideline for early detection and management.
The seven-member state-level committee to monitor black fungus in Odisha is headed by Dr Nirupama Chaini, who is a Professor and Head of department of Microbiology in the SCB Medical College and Hospital. She would be monitoring all the cases of mucormycosis among the Covid-19 patients who all are admitted to different hospitals and medicals in the state. She would also formulate a proper guideline for the early detection and management of black fungus cases.  

The seven members of this state-level committee are:

Prof. Dr. Nirupama Chaini, Prof & HOD of Microbiology, SCB, MC (Chairman)Dr. Niranjan Mishra, Director, Public Health, (Member, Convener) Prof. Dr.Prasanjit Mohanty, Prof. HOD, Dermatology, SCB.MC (Member)Prof. Dr. Jayanta Kumar Panda. Prof & HOD of Medicine, SCB.MC (Member)Prof. Dr. Subral Bohora, Prof & HOD ENT, SCB,MC (Member)Prof. Dr. Subhabrata Parida. Prof & HOD Medicine, SCB,MCH (Member)Prof. Dr. Jyoti Pattnaik. Prof. Pulmonary Medicine, SCB,MC (Member).

The state health department stated in a letter, “Reports of Black Fungus infection have been detected in patients on Corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive drugs and also amongst patients in the post COVID period across our State. All Government Medical Colleges in the state will constitute an expert committee each composed of members from department of Medicine, Pulmonary medicine, Dermatology, ENT. Ophthalmology and neurology (if available) for coordination, diagnosis and management of such cases.”

Facilities at hospitals 

Meanwhile, all the government medical colleges and hospitals have been instructed to create proper facilities for the detection and careful management of black fungus cases along with the department of ophthalmology and ENT, for all the post COVID-19 and RT-PCR test negative patients. The active COVID-19 patients when detected to have Mucormycosis will continue to get treatment with support of ENT and ophthalmology faculties / consultants.
For the uninitiated, mucormycosis is a fungal infection that mainly affects those who are on medication for other health issues which reduce their ability to fight environmental pathogens. This infection has been witnessed in cases of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression by steroids, prolonged ICU stay, and co-morbidities.