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

The Odisha government has modified the guidelines related to the treatment of COVID-19 patients, saying those having mild symptoms or are asymptomatic can be treated at their homes only in urban areas, a senior official said.

Though the Centre on May 10 has issued a guideline saying that asymptomatic patients or those with mild symptoms can be treated at their homes instead of being admitted to hospitals or Corona Care Centres, the state government will not extend this facility to rural areas, said Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra.

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

In another change, Mohapatra said while the central guideline stated that a patient will remain in home isolation for seven days after discharge, in Odisha the period will be 14 days.

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

Earlier, patients were released after reports of two consecutive COVID-19 tests within 24 hours came in as negative. In case of severe cases, the patient can be discharged after three days of stopping to show symptoms, he said. Mild or asymptomatic patients wanting to opt for home quarantine will be stamped on their hand and a band will be tied to their wrist. Stickers will also be pasted on the wall of their houses, Mohapatra said.

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

Meanwhile, sarpanchs have been directed to keep an eye for symptoms among migrants lodged at temporary medical camps at the panchayat-level, said Subroto Bagchi, the governments spokesperson on COVID-19. He said people should not panic over the rise in the number of positive cases in the state as most of them have been detected in those lodged at quarantine centres.

Stating that as many as 67,535 people stranded in different 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/camps functioning in 6,798 gram panchayats in the state and they have 5,81,915 beds to provide COVID-19 health services in the rural areas, he said.