Health Ministry issues revised discharge policy for COVID-19 patients
May 11, 2020
New Delhi [India], May 11 : As India's COVID-19 count surges to 67,152, Union Health Ministry on Monday issued a revised discharge policy for COIVD-19 patients under which a person having mild infection can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and if there is no fever for three days.
"As per the revised policy, mild, very mild, pre-symptomatic cases admitted to COVID care facility can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and if there is no fever for three days," said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, during a press briefing here on Monday.
The Joint Secretary said that "there is no need to test before discharge but home isolation should be advised after discharge for seven days."
He said that the Centre has changed the policy on the basis of symptom and time-based strategy.
"Discharge policy has been changed because several countries have changed their policy from test-based strategy to symptom and time-based strategy. We have also changed it based on this," said Agarwal.
However, he said that it was also important to note that the discharge policy is not meant for home or facility quarantine patients.
A total of 97 people died of corona in the last 24 hours in the country and 4,216 new cases were reported. The total number of cases is at 67,152, said Union Health Ministry and Family Welfare.
