Union Ayush minister likely to be discharged this week

PANAJI: Union Ayush minister Shripad Naik’s health is improving and he is likely to be discharged from the private hospital where he is undergoing treatment this week, four weeks after he tested positive for Covid.
“If he has no fever for the next 48 hours and no other complications, he will be discharged on Tuesday or Wednesday,” clinical head at Manipal Hospital, Dr Shekhar Salkar said, adding that he has not had a fever for almost a fortnight now.
“He will require oxygenation at home too and arrangements are being made for an oxygen concentrator. Oxygen is recommended to prevent any long-term damage to his lungs,” he said.
Former deputy chief minister Sudin Dhavalikar was discharged on Saturday. Three of Dhavalikar’s brothers continue to receive treatment at the private hospital. Two are fit for discharge.
Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao has been off oxygen and is also likely to be discharged at the beginning of the week, Salkar said.
Director of health services Dr Jose D’Sa has been shifted to simple oxygen from high flow nasal oxygen and will take a few more days to recover, Salkar said.
On Friday, health minister Vishwajit Rane said D’Sa was given plasma twice, which helped him recover.
Naik was also administered plasma therapy. Salkar said this helped his condition improve considerably.
Last month, a team of doctors from AIIMS and the armed forces command hospital had come to Goa to assess the Ayush minister’s condition.