The Pune district administration has directed health officials to screen COVID-19 survivors in rural areas to identify any suspected cases of mucormycosis, or black fungus.

As per an order issued on Sunday by district Collector Rajesh Deshmukh, the health departments in rural areas have been instructed to obtain lists of COVID-19 patients who recovered from the infection after April 15 and conduct the first round of the screening of suspected mucormycosis patients between May 24 and May 27.

The Pune district in Maharashtra has so far reported more than 300 cases of mucormycosis. “If a suspected case of mucormycosis is found during screening, it is expected that he or she should be checked by experts, and if diagnosed with the ailment, the patient should be given necessary medication and referred for further medical/surgical treatment,” said the order.

It stated that the tehsils where the number of COVID-19 recovered patients is high, additional doctors should be made available to carry out the screening.

The district administration has already set up a control room for the smooth and equal distribution of anti-fungal drugs needed for the treatment of mucormycosis.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope had on Thursday said that mucormycosis, which has claimed 90 lives in the state so far, was a matter of prime concern for the state at present.

The state government needs more supply of the medicine used in its treatment, he had said.