Gandhinagar, May 21 (IANS): After the Union Health Ministry urged the states and Union Territories (UTs) to make mucormycosis or 'black fungus' a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the Gujarat government on Thursday declared the fungal infection as an epidemic.

While urging all the states and UTs to declare black fungus as a notifiable disease, the Health Ministry said that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst Covid-19 patients.

The governments have been asked to follow the guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of mucormycosis issued by the Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The guidelines are applicable to private health care facilities as well.

Following th Centre's recommendation, the core committee headed by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani held a meeting on Thursday, where it was decided to declare the fungal infection as an epidemic under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

Accordingly, all the medical facilities in the state will have to report all suspected and confirmed cases of post-Covid complications to the state's health department.

All government and private health facilities, medical colleges will follow the guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of mucormycosis, issued by the Union Health Ministry and the ICMR.

According to the notification, it will be mandatory for all the healthcare facilities to report all suspected and confirmed cases of black fungus to the health department through district-level chief medical officers and subsequently to the surveillance system of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).

Rajasthan had declared Mucormycosis as an epidemic on Wednesday.