Health department adds 600 beds to treat Covid-19 patients, allows home isolation of patients

With a spike in the number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the district this week, the administration, along with the health department, has roped in

With a spike in the number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the district this week, the administration, along with the health department, has roped in six private hospitals to add 600 beds to the existing capacity for the treatment of Covid-19 positive patients. The state health department has also permitted home isolation for those Covid-19 patients who have mild symptoms or are pre-symptomatic. However, home isolation has only been allowed if the patient has the requisite arrangements in the house.

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The decision to increase the capacity was taken after the number of Covid-19 cases in Gurugram reached 117. Of these patients, 66 are hospitalized and 51 have recovered.

Apart from the 100-bed ESIC hospital in Sector 9A, the designated Covid-19 hospital in the district, where 56 patients are already undergoing treatment, the health department had also designated the 500-bed Medeor Hospital in Manesar for the same. But the facility is yet to be made operational.

“Due to some technical issues in the Covid-19 isolation ward, the hospital is not yet functional. It will be functional from next week. Meanwhile, the district administration has asked six hospitals to keep 100 beds aside for Covid-19 patients,” Dr Jaswant Singh Punia, chief medical officer(CMO), said.

The order issued by Amit Khatri, deputy commissioner, six hospitals, namely Metro, Naryana, Signature, Columbia Asia, Park and W Pratiksha, will keep 100 beds each in their facility for Covid-19 patients. They will deploy their doctors, nurses and paramedical staff for the Covid-19 isolation ward in their respective hospitals.

Earlier, coronavirus patients were being treated at Civil Hospital, Sector 10, and three private hospitals of the city. The health department recently declared the hospital Covid-19 free to resume OPD services. Also, four of its medical staff contracted the virus.Patients are now being admitted to ESIC hospital and SGT medical college in Chandu Budhera.

HOME ISOLATION FOR PATIENTS WITH MILD SYMPTOMS

The state government also issued an order on Wednesday to treat Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms or who are pre-symptomatic under home isolation. The district health team, however, said they will grant permission only if the patient who tested positive for the coronavirus has appropriate facilities at the residence.

“We won’t allow patients to go for home isolation until we see there are apt facilities, such as a separate room and a bathroom for the Covid-19 positive patient. It will also depend upon the treating physician and the consent of the patient. Generally, most of the patients want to be treated in a hospital facility,” said Punia, mentioning they will prefer home isolation for patients only if they don’t fear the spread of disease among other family members and nearby houses.

As per the guidelines issued by the state government, a house has to have rooms for quarantining the other family members apart from the separate self-isolation room for the patient. A care giver has to be available to provide 24X7 services, who will also give daily update of the patient to the district health team.

The health team will also monitor the health of the home isolated patients regularly. “On the first day of isolation, health workers like an ASHA worker or a medical officer will visit the house of the patient. A red poster will be displayed outside patient’s house, the patients’ hand will be stamped and masks will be provided. On every third day, these health workers will visit the patient’s house to check if there is any deterioration of symptoms and to check if the home isolation protocols are being followed,” said Punia.

The caregiver and all family members living in that house will also have to monitor their body temperature daily and report if they develop any signs and symptoms to the doctor. As per the government protocol, the caregiver and all the close contacts of such cases will be given hydroxychloroquine for treatment.

However, if there is difficulty in breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, mental confusion and bluish discolouration of lips and face, then the patient will be shifted to the hospital.

Taking preventive measures, the caregiver, be it a health worker or a family member, will have to avoid exposure. For instance, the food has to be provided to the patient in his room, utensils and dishes has to be cleaned with soap/detergent and waterproof gloves. Utensils and dishes can be reused. They will have to avoid direct contact with body fluids of the patient and have to use disposable gloves while handling the patient.

The surfaces in the home has to be cleaned like door knobs, handles and table tops with 1% hypochlorite solution.

The patient, on the other hand, will have to use a triple layer mask and discard the mask after 8 hours or even before that if it is wet or visibly soiled. Basic hand hygiene needs to be practised. Patient has to take rest and drink lot of fluids to keep the body hydrated

As per the guideline, home isolation will end only after the patient has tested negative twice in the confirmatory tests.