Delhi has 944 cases of black fungus, facing shortage of drugs: Kejriwal
Darpan News Desk IANS, 31 May, 2021 11:19 AM
New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Delhi Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said there is a severe shortage of the medicines needed to treat at least 944 people undergoing treatment for mucormycosis or black fungus in Delhi's hospitals.
There may have been a decrease in cases of coronavirus infections in Delhi but hundreds of people are still suffering from black fungus. According to the Delhi government, medicines were being made available to it in a limited quantity by the Central government.
Giving information about the cases of black fungus, Kejriwal said nearly 944 cases of black fungus have been reported in Delhi, of these nearly 300 patients are being treated in various Central government-run hospitals here.
Kejriwal said nearly 650 patients with black fungus are undergoing treatment in Delhi government-run hospitals. However, there is a shortage of injections needed to treat patients suffering from black fungus in Delhi government-run hospitals.
On Saturday, nearly 1,000 injections were supplied to Delhi. This number is quite low because a single patient receives three to four vaccine jabs in a day. No vaccines were supplied to the national capital on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the unlocking process started in Delhi from Monday with people facing some difficulty in getting an e-pass for reporting to office.
Responding to these problems, the Chief Minister said whatever problems the citizens of Delhi are facing will be rectified soon.
"I saw that there were glitches while accessing e-passes on the Delhi government's portal. The problem will be fixed. As we get feedback from people about things causing inconvenience to them, we will fix the glitches," Kejriwal added.
Kejriwal on Monday also opened a free vaccination centre for inoculating journalists and their families at Rajkiya Sarvodaya Bal Kanya Vidyalaya, Mata Sundri Road, New Delhi. Journalists and their families from age group of 18 to 44 years and above 45 years can get vaccinated at this centre and will also be able to register themselves on the spot.
"I am very happy that this arrangement has been launched in a government school on Monday. Both Hindi and English journalists and their families between age group of 18 to 44 years and above 45 years can come here and get vaccinated," Kejriwal said.
Registration will be done on the spot to receive vaccine jabs. "I appeal to all journalists and their families that they should come in large numbers so that everyone gets vaccinated."
Doctors suspect that the sudden surge in mucormycosis, or “black fungus” infection, may be linked to the use of steroids to treat COVID-19. It can result in breathing problems and coughing blood.
India broke its own previous record of Covid deaths in 24 hours after the the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday said the nation recorded 4,529 deaths -- the highest number of fatalities from Covid infection.
Cyclone Tauktae has claimed the lives of at least 12 people and close to 200,000 have been evacuated. The impact of the cyclone so intense that it has uprooted trees and electricity poles.
According to Swaminathan, B.1.617 variant of Covid-19, which was first detected in India last Fall, was a contributing factor in the COVID explosion that India is witnessing right now.
He said that the "endgame" in fighting the pandemic is vaccinating everyone. At the same time, he said that all of India should "shut down", as some states have done.
