THOOTHUKUDI: Multi-specialty expert doctors have been teamed up to research black fungus cases and actions will be taken on their advise, said Tamil Nadu Health minister Ma Subramanian while inspecting COVID19 treatment centres in the rural areas of Thoothukudi.
The minister inspected the COVID19 care centres, primary health centres, vaccination drives and the infrastructure available for treating COVID19 patients in the presence of district collector Dr K Senthil Raj, Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan and Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan.
After inspecting vaccination drive at SPIC campus, he told reporters that COVID-19 positivity has started reducing citing the rate of 36000 cases reported 10 days ago, to 33800 cases on Monday. In Chennai, the positivity had reduced from 7000 positive cases every day to 4900, he said.
On the medical oxygen availability, the minister said that the state is currently stable with a sufficient stock of oxygen now, and that the state had recovered from precarious situation with the arrival of oxygen loads from Rourkela and Jamshedpur following steps taken by Chief Minister MK Stalin. The CM is also analysing the situation to upgrade the infrastructure for oxygen production in the state so as to tide over the crisis, in case of a third wave, he said.
Subramanian added that the state government had administered over 70 lakh vaccines out of the 80 lakh vaccines reached the state. For vaccinating those between 18-44 age groups, over 12 lakh vaccines were procured for Rs 46 crore which is being administered with priority for newspaper boys, differently abled persons, vegetable vendors, destitute on roadside and other marginalised sections of the society.
For those above 44 years old, over 1.8 lakh vaccines reached Monday and had been distributed across the state. "The vaccine is being administered to people above 45 years uninterruptedly,” he said while denying rumours on stopping vaccination drives for those above 45 years of age. The international tender call for 3.5 crore vaccines from worldwide suppliers will include vaccines such as Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik, and the winner will be given orders, he added.
On the cases of fast spreading Black fungus, white fungus and yellow fungus among COVID 19 patients, he said that these complications had affected chronic diabetes patients in the past. While a section of experts opine that those undergoing dialysis and taking steroids are affected by black fungus, however, it was not reported in European countries where steroids are given for all treatments, he said.
As there are suspicions on inhalation of industrial oxygen and the poor quality oxygen made using contaminated water, leads to such infections, it needs research by a team of medical experts.
"In order to provide effective ideas to the government on such issues, a team of 10 multi-speciality experts have been formed to research the cases, and actions will be taken based on their advise,” he said.
When asked about the suppression of Covid death data, the minister denied it. “We maintain transparency on the deaths happened due to COVID-19 data so that it doesn’t frighten the public and creates awareness,” he said.