Bangladesh takes emergency steps to prevent ‘black fungus’: Health Minister
Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday said Bangladesh has taken emergency steps to halt the infection of “black fungus” as the fatal disease is found in the country.
“We have taken all necessary measures to protect the people from both black fungus and Indian new COVID-19 variant…there is no reason to be panicked as black fungus could not spread in the country,” he told the launching ceremony of administering COVID-19 vaccines among students of Dhaka Medical College, an official release said.
Secretary of Health Service Division Lokman Hossain Mian, Secretary of Health Education Division Md Ali Nur, Director General of Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam and Director of Dhaka Medical College Brigadier General Nazmul Haque were present with principal of the medical college Prof Dr Titu Mia in the chair.
Maleque said as part of precautionary measures, the government directed some pharmaceutical companies to increase production of medicines to ensure treatment facilities to fight the disease.
Alongside purchasing of coronavirus vaccine, Bangladesh has attached priority to produce COVID-vaccine locally, he said adding, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given her instruction for manufacturing of vaccine in the country. We are discussing the matter with different countries as well as local companies.”
Referring to the devastating situation of COVID-19 in India, he said on an average 4,000 people in India are dying everyday getting infected with the new variant of the lethal virus while three to four lakh people are being infected by the virus daily.
“The New Indian variant has also affected Nepal badly… terrible situation has been created there (Nepal) due to emergence of Indian new COVID-19 variant,” the health minister added.
Recently, new cases of Indian variant were found in Bangladesh, he said adding, the Indian COVID-19 variant could not spread in the country as, “We have been able to identify the people, who were infected by Indian new COVID-19 variant and they were kept in isolation to stop spread of the deadly virus.”
The black fungus, called mucormycosis, has a 50% mortality rate. It affects patients initially in the nose but the fungus can then spread into the brain, and can often only be treated by major surgery removing the eye or part of skull and jaw.
Mucormycosis is a very rare infection. It is caused by exposure to mucor mould which is commonly found in soil, plants, manure, and decaying fruits and vegetables.
Secretary of Health Service Division Lokman Hossain Mian, Secretary of Health Education Division Md Ali Nur, Director General of Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam and Director of Dhaka Medical College Brigadier General Nazmul Haque were present with principal of the medical college Prof Dr Titu Mia in the chair.
Maleque said as part of precautionary measures, the government directed some pharmaceutical companies to increase production of medicines to ensure treatment facilities to fight the disease.
Alongside purchasing of coronavirus vaccine, Bangladesh has attached priority to produce COVID-vaccine locally, he said adding, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given her instruction for manufacturing of vaccine in the country. We are discussing the matter with different countries as well as local companies.”
Referring to the devastating situation of COVID-19 in India, he said on an average 4,000 people in India are dying everyday getting infected with the new variant of the lethal virus while three to four lakh people are being infected by the virus daily.
“The New Indian variant has also affected Nepal badly… terrible situation has been created there (Nepal) due to emergence of Indian new COVID-19 variant,” the health minister added.
Recently, new cases of Indian variant were found in Bangladesh, he said adding, the Indian COVID-19 variant could not spread in the country as, “We have been able to identify the people, who were infected by Indian new COVID-19 variant and they were kept in isolation to stop spread of the deadly virus.”
The black fungus, called mucormycosis, has a 50% mortality rate. It affects patients initially in the nose but the fungus can then spread into the brain, and can often only be treated by major surgery removing the eye or part of skull and jaw.
Mucormycosis is a very rare infection. It is caused by exposure to mucor mould which is commonly found in soil, plants, manure, and decaying fruits and vegetables.
