Centre asks states to make black fungus a notifiable disease

The Centre has asked all states to make mucormycosis or black fungus a notifiable disease which would make it mandatory for all healthcare facilities to report suspected and confirmed cases to the health department.

The move comes after a sharp increase in black fungus cases being reported across India as a post Covid recovery complication. In a letter to state governments, joint secretary (health) Lav Agarwal has written, “You are requested to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, wherein all government and private health facilities, medical colleges will follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis, issued by health ministry and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and maje it mandatory for all these facilities to report all suspected and confirmed cases to health department through district level chief medical officer…”

So far, Haryana and Rajasthan have made mucormycosis a notifiable disease. Rajasthan and Telangana have declared it an epidemic under Epidemics Act. The health ministry has termed black fungus disease as a “new challenge” which would require multi disciplinary team of specialists. “In recent times a new challenge in the form of a fungal infection namely mucormycosis has emerged and is reported from many states… This fungal infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst Covid-19 patients,” Agarwal has written.


Medical specialists have reported a high mortality rate of 50% especially due to low awareness and patients reporting late to medical facilities.