Three weeks after the new discharge policy came into force in the State, the discharge rate of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and have recovered has been rising.
According to the State COVID-19 war room analysis as of August 30, 72.1% of the 3.35 lakh patients who tested positive were termed as “recovered”. The highest recovery rate was reported from Vijayapura, where 86.7% of the total 6,589 cases have recovered. The lowest recovery rate was in Chitradurga, where 63.3% of the total 2,551 patients have recovered. Meanwhile, 17 districts in the State have a discharge rate higher than the State average of 72.1%. The recovery rate in Bengaluru Urban is 68.9%.
According to the new discharge policy, no repeat test is required for asymptomatic, mild and moderate cases at discharge as before. They have also reduced the 14-day home isolation after discharge to seven days with self-monitoring. As per the revised policy issued on August 11, individuals who remain asymptomatic in hospital will be discharged 10 days after they are tested positive and will not require another test before discharge. Meanwhile, after seven days of home care, on the 14th day, there will be a follow up over teleconference. In mild and moderate cases, however, the patient will be discharged after 10 days on the onset of symptoms provided there are no symptoms three days before discharge.
C. Nagaraj, Director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), said that the discharge rates were increasing due to several factors. He said that with a uniform protocol for treatment and discharge across the State, it was easy to ensure that patients were on the path of recovery. “With testing being ramped up, people who have tested positive can sign up for treatment earlier. In the initial few days, people were coming to the hospital when the infection had spread,” he said and added that the stigma of testing positive had come down as a result of which people were coming forward now.