Black fungus: Uttarakhand receives 15,000 vials of Amphotericin-B

Uttarakhand has received 15,000 vials of Amphotericin-B, the drug used for treating patients with black fungus, from a Rudrapur-based pharmacy company, late on Thursday.

The drug department of the state secured the order for Amphotericin-B injections last night.

The State Drug Controller, Tajbar Singh Jaggi said, "These injections came on orders of Doon Medical College Hospital, so they will first go to them and after that, they will be distributed".

The state has also placed another order of 1,200 injections with other pharmaceutical companies.

Jaggi added, "In addition to this, 1,200 injection orders have been given to other pharmaceutical companies, and will be available in a couple of days".

Due to a spurt in the black fungus disease, the state had placed orders for anti-fungal injections.

Uttarakhand Government had announced the production of Amphotericin-B injections on May 24.

The mortality rate of COVID-related deaths in Uttarakhand stands at 1.89 per cent and the state ranks second in COVID-related deaths after Punjab, the state health department informed on Thursday.

It said that despite the decrease in the new COVID-19 cases and the increase in the rate of recovery, the death rate in Uttarakhand is a matter of concern.

"Uttarakhand ranks second after Punjab in mortality. The death rate of coronavirus patients in the state stands at 1.89 per cent, while the death rate in Punjab stands at 2.5 per cent," the health ministry said.

According to official data, there are 39,237 active cases of COVID-19 in the state. The state will be in pandemic induced lockdown till June 1.