The Health Department confirmed that there is enough stock available of medicine required to treat Mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus, and that the Central government is regulating its sale and allocation to States.
While Goa Medical College (GMC) Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar said that 250 vials of Liposomal Amphotericin B injection are available with the State, Health Secretary Ravi Dhawan said that an order for another 100 vials has been placed and that delivery is expected soon.
Dhawan explained that in the same way GMC has been sharing Remdesivir and Tocilizumab injections vials whenever there has been a shortage, GMC will similarly share Amphotericin B vials to private hospitals. Bandekar confirmed that one private hospital had made such a request.
Reiterating that no patient had died due to black fungus, Bandekar revealed that there are now five patients at GMC with this infection.
He also acknowledged that unlike other States, where black fungus has been detected post COVID, in Goa the patients were discovered with the disease during their COVID treatment but that all of them were highly diabetic. He urged people to control their blood sugar and avoid early use of steroids.
Responding to a query from media on another issue, Health Services Director Dr Jose De Sa said that the government has not yet started administering Ivermectin as part of the prophylaxis treatment for persons above the age of 18 as the government is still organising stocks that will be adequate for 62 per cent of Goa’s population.
Responding to a query on people who have succumbed to COVID-19 after taking both the vaccine doses, Bandekar admitted that there have been a few such cases but that in such instances, the comorbidities had overpowered the immunity. He gave the example of how on Thursday, there was one such death where the deceased had chronic kidney disease and had expired two weeks after taking the second dose.
On whether the State should extend the curfew restrictions that end on May 23, Bandekar said what’s important is that people continue to follow COVID appropriate behaviour. Dhawan concurring with Bandekar, said the government will take a considered view soon but urged people to get themselves vaccinated, which he felt was one of the solutions.
Bandekar, speaking on the possible third wave, said they have identified people under the age of 18 and those from rural and peri-urban areas as vulnerable sections and that the government is already taking steps to be ready for the same.
The district nodal officers stated that there are 437 beds allocated for COVID patients in private hospitals across Goa and that for large hospitals, there is a joint nodal officer appointed to oversee COVID admissions. They asked the public to bear with short delays in updates over real time bed availability if any.
