Hospitals told to report CAM cases to medical board

High blood sugar level is the top risk factor for COVID-associated Mucormycosis

With reports of increasing incidence of COVID-associated Mucormycosis (CAM), an invasive fungal infection, from across the country, the State government has alerted all hospitals to report any cases of CAM to the State Medical Board on a real-time basis. The guidelines issued by the Health Department say that details of all cases of CAM (black fungus) reported from January this year should be shared with the medical board so that the State can plan ahead for managing the situation. The department has also suggested aeromycological studies in all ICUs at the earliest to assess fungal spore count. An aeromycological study can check for the presence and concentration of fungi in the air. Such studies are important in hospital settings, especially in ICUs, where the immunosuppressed and severely ill patients are vulnerable to catching the infection.