Nearly 500 black fungus cases, need 2K vials per day, getting 500, says CM

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said there are around 500 cases of black fungus or mucormycosis in Delhi and the city has been grappling with a shortage of Amphotericin-B injection used in its treatment.

"We have set up dedicated centres for the treatment of black fungus at Lok Nayak Hospital, GTB Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital but we do not have drugs.... We did not get the injections on Sunday," he told reporters.

Four to five injections per patient per day are used in the treatment of the fungal infection. There are around 500 cases of black fungus in Delhi at present and we need as many as 2,000 injections per day, he said, adding that Delhi had been receiving around 400 to 500 injections per day.

While the CM's calculation is rough, doctors and experts say each patient could need up to 6 injections a day, which would put the city's actual requirement at a higher number.

"The central government has been distributing the injection among states. There is a severe shortage of this drug in the market and its production should be ramped up," the chief minister said.