Govt. beds for black fungus patients fill up within hours

Many are forced to seek treatment in private hospitals

Ravi G. waited for hours at Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College and Research Institute to get a bed for his brother Muralikrishna, who was diagnosed with black fungus or mucormycosis after he got COVID-19. But the wait was in vain. The government had earmarked 10 beds at the institute for COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM), which filled up within hours on Wednesday. “There is a long queue of patients waiting for a bed. I eventually admitted my brother to a private hospital, but I am unable to bear the expense,” said Mr. Ravi. H.V. Manoj Kumar, dean and director of the institute, said they had taken in 16 patients even though they had 10 beds. “This is much beyond our capacity, but there are more patients waiting in the triage centre, whom we don’t know how to accommodate,” he said.