Odisha: Home treatment for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients only in urban areas

Bhubaneswar, May 12 () The Odisha government hasmodified the guidelines related to the treatment of COVID-19patients, saying those having mild symptoms or areasymptomatic can be treated at their homes only in urbanareas, a senior official said.

Though the Centre on May 10 has issued a guidelinesaying that asymptomatic patients or those with mild symptomscan be treated at their homes instead of being admitted tohospitals or Corona Care Centres, the state government willnot extend this facility to rural areas, said Additional ChiefSecretary P K Mohapatra.

The state government can allow COVID-19 patients toget treatment at their homes only in urban areas whereseparate rooms and toilets are available, he said on Monday.

In another change, Mohapatra said while the centralguideline stated that a patient will remain in home isolationfor seven days after discharge, in Odisha the period will be14 days.

Further, the central guideline stated that theasymptomatic COVID19 patients or those with mild symptoms canbe discharged if they do not have fever for three consecutivedays and can undergo treatment at their homes. In Odisha,patients can be discharged after 10 days of developingsymptoms or after three days if the person concerned does notsuffer from fever, Mohapatra said.

Earlier, patients were released after reports of twoconsecutive COVID-19 tests within 24 hours came in asnegative.

In case of severe cases, the patient can be dischargedafter three days of stopping to show symptoms, he said.

Mild or asymptomatic patients wanting to opt for homequarantine will be stamped on their hand and a band willbe tied to their wrist. Stickers will also be pasted on thewall of their houses, Mohapatra said.

Children less than 5 years old, pregnant women andpersons with disabilities will get priority for COVID-19 testsand home isolation, he added.

Meanwhile, sarpanchs have been directed to keep an eyefor symptoms among migrants lodged at temporary medical campsat the panchayat-level, said Subroto Bagchi, the governmentsspokesperson on COVID-19.

He said people should not panic over the rise in thenumber of positive cases in the state as most of them havebeen detected in those lodged at quarantine centres.

Stating that as many as 67,535 people stranded indifferent parts of the country have returned to Odisha so far,Bagchi said 11,619 people reached the state on Monday.

There are 14,563 temporary medical centres/ campsfunctioning in 6,798 gram panchayats in the state and theyhave 5,81,915 beds to provide COVID-19 health services in therural areas, he said. AAMSOM SOM