Covid-19 in Ludhiana: 22 asymptomatic patients discharged under new policy

LUDHIANA: The first batch of asymptomatic patients walked out of the isolation ward of Covid-19 wing on Saturday as the civil hospital started discharging patients under the new guidelines issued by the Union health ministry.
The department of health and family welfare on Thursday had sent a letter to all DCs, SSPs and civil surgeons of the state regarding the new guidelines.
Twenty-two patients were discharge on Saturday under the new system. Having tested positive in April-end, these patients completed 14-day quarantine, but remained asymptomatic. As they were being treated at the civil hospital, a dedicated Covid-19 hospital, they were eligible for discharge. The hospital still has 66 patients under treatment.
“On May 15, samples of these 22 patients were again sent to Government Medical College, Patiala. Their results are awaited. These patients included 18 people from Manuke village in Jagraon and four residents from Ambedkar Colony, Pakhowal Rad, Amarpura and Islamganj,” said Dr Geeta Kataria, senior medical officer, civil hospital.
Two more patients, who had tested positive about 18 days ago, were discharged from the isolation ward of Khanna civil hospital on Saturday.
Senior medical officer (SMO) at the hospital Dr Rajinder Gulati said two patients were admitted in the isolation ward more than two weeks back after being tested positive for Covid-19 by RT-PCR on April 29. He added that they were discharged as per the revised discharge policy for Covid-19 patients.
Meanwhile, 11 others — 7 Nanded returnees and 4 Kota students — defeated coronavirus and were discharged from the mother and child hospital on Saturday.
“We will discharge 21 Covid-19 patients, all Nanded returnees, on Sunday as per the new guidelines. They had remained asymptomatic for more than 10 days,” said Navraj Brar, faculty in-charge, Mother and Child Hospital.
New discharge policy
Revised discharge policy says mild, very mild, symptomatic, pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic cases can be discharged from isolation health facility without testing, provided they had been asymptomatic (no fever, breathlessness) for more than 3 days. All close contacts of home quarantined persons will take hydroxychloroquine as per the protocol and as prescribed by the treating medical officer.
Ludhiana civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga said all 22 patients, who were discharged from the civil hospital on Saturday, were not tested before being allowed to go. According to the new policy, asymptomatic returnees from other states can also remain quarantined at their homes instead of government quarantine as was the case in old policy.
“Persons returning from other states should be screened for symptoms. Asymptomatic persons may be sent for home quarantine for 14 days. Symptomatic persons should be taken to isolation centres and tested for Covid-19 with RT-PCR. If test is negative, they can be discharged after symptoms subside. If positive, the revised discharged policy to be followed.”