With majority of the COVID-19 patients in Mizoram showing no symptoms for the virus, the state government has framed guidelines to place asymptomatic people under home isolation in view of shortage of hospitals to treat rising number of infected citizens, a health department official said on September 15.
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The rules issued during the day by the government said that COVID patients showing no symptoms and with mild or very mild symptoms will be allowed to stay in home isolation under strict monitoring by the health officials. Home isolation guidelines have been brought following the surge in novel coronavirus cases in the state and to ease shortage of COVID-19 Care Centres to treat the mounting number of positive patients, officials said.
Mizoram has only one dedicated COVID hospital- Zoram Medical College (ZMC)- where symptomatic patients and those with co-morbid conditions are being treated. The government has so far set up 35 makeshift COVID-19 Care Centres, which can accommodate about 1,700 patients. Mizoram on September 15 reported 40 new cases, taking the states coronavirus caseload to 1,468.
The Health secretary was among the new patients, according to health officials. The Health secretary told reporters that he was asymptomatic and has no complaint of any health issue. According to the rules framed, the person allowed home isolation should be clinically assigned as a very mild or pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic case by the treating medical officer. However, persons suffering from immuno compromised status such as HIV, transplant recipients, cancer therapy are not eligible for home isolation, said the advisory.
Elderly patients aged above 60 years and those with co- morbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung/liver/kidney disease among others will only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by registered doctor or medical practitioner. Persons seeking for home isolation should have the requisite facilities at their residences like isolated room and bathroom so as to avoid contact with other family members. They should also get permission from village or local level task force of their village or locality, said the rules. According to the precept, a caregiver should be available to provide care on 24x7 basis and the patients will be monitored by the health department.
Caregiver will keep monitoring the health condition of the patient and seek immediate medical attention in case the patient develop serious signs or symptoms. These include difficulty in breathing, dip in oxygen saturation ((SpO2 < 95%), persistent pain/pressure in the chest, mental confusion or inability to arouse, Slurred speech/seizures, weakness or numbness in any limb or face and developing bluish discolorations of lips or face among others. The officials said that the state government is making massive efforts to set up more COVID-19 care centres to treat the positive patients as it is bound to create crisis if the number of infected persons keeps increasing at a higher rate.
