Mild cases can be discharged without test: Health ministry

Mild cases can be discharged without test: Health ministry

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 10.05.2020

In a move that is likely to reduce India’s need for Covid-19 testing kits, the health ministry has said that mild and moderate cases do not need to be tested prior to the discharge of patients from hospital. So far, patients had to test negative twice prior to discharge. The new directive is part of the revised policy for discharge of Covid-19 patients from hospitals. Even for severe cases, the patient would need to test negative only once, as against twice earlier.

“Mild/very mild/presymptomatic cases admitted to a Covid care facility will undergo regular temperature and pulse oximetry monitoring. The patient can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and no fever for 3 days. There will be no need for testing prior to discharge. At the time of discharge, the patient will be advised to follow the home isolation for further 7 days as per guidelines,” the revised discharge policy said.

Till Saturday morning, 15.23 lakh samples were tested for Covid-19. According to the ministry, the capacity has been ramped up to test around 95,000 samples per day across 332 government and 121private labs.

Only 1.5% of beds in Covid hosps used

Less than 1.5% of over 1.3 lakh hospital beds earmarked for Covid-19 patients are currently being utilised and this could see a review of hospital preparedness plans that might free up some beds for non-Covid care. P 7

Last 24 hrs see 3,320 fresh Covid-19 cases

However, positive cases also continue to rise across the country. In thelast24hours,3,320 newconfirmed cases have been added taking the total number of cases to 59,662.

The policy also says that at any point of time, prior to discharge from Covid care centre, if the oxygen saturation dips below 95%, patient has to be moved to Dedicated Covid Health Centre (DCHC) with ICU facility. After discharge from the facility, if the patient again developssymptomsoffever, cough or breathing difficulty, he/she will contact the Covid care centre or state helpline or 1075. His/her health will again be followed up through tele-conference on the 14th day, it says.

Moderate cases have been categorised as those whose symptoms resolve within three days and maintains oxygen saturation above 95% for the next 4 days. “If the fever resolve within 3 days and the patient maintains saturation above 95% for the next 4 days (without oxygen support), such patient will be discharged after 10 days of symptom onsetin caseof absenceof fever without anti-pyretics, resolution of breathlessness, no oxygen requirement. There willbe no needfor testing prior to discharge,” says the policy.