Only 60 patients in Gurugram under institutional isolation facilities

Gurugram may be witnessing an exponential surge in Covid-19 cases, but its isolation facilities — set up by the district administration in different hotels and guest

Gurugram may be witnessing an exponential surge in Covid-19 cases, but its isolation facilities — set up by the district administration in different hotels and guest houses of the city — have found very few takers.

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Data shows that only 60 — of Gurugram’s 1,820 active cases — are under isolation in selected hotels, where the district administration has already reserved more than 1,100 beds on a paid basis.

As per the district health bulletin, 4,512 coronavirus cases have been reported in the city so far. Out of these, 1,820 are active cases. Out of the active cases, nearly 65% — 1,193 patients — are under home isolation, 106 are in the dedicated Covid-19 hospitals, and 461 are hospitalised in other private hospitals of the city.

Only 60 patients — 3.2% of the total active cases — are in institutional isolation facilities set up at hotels as Covid Care Centres.

Of the 60, at least 15 are in private paid hotels, while 45 are in government paid hotels. As reported by HT on June 21, senior doctors believe that reluctance of Covid-19 patients to stay in institutional facilities is adding to the number of patients requiring critical care.

As per a district administration order, there are 13 designated hotels for self-paid isolation facilities. Over 464 beds have been reserved in these hotels for Covid patients with mild or moderate symptoms. Also, these facilities can also be used by patients who are asymptomatic but can’t be home isolated due to lack of space in their houses.

Likewise, 1,132 beds have been kept aside in 26 hotels of the city, which are to act like government paid isolation facilities. As per the data shared by the health department, only 45 Covid-19 patients are availing the facility. In the government paid facilities, the charges are nominal and is set at Rs 700, including taxes, which includes three meal. In the self -paid facilities the charges vary from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,200.

Patients who have opted for self-paid service are currently kept in Ginger hotel, sector 14, while others are in hotels of old Gurugram.

Ashok Sangwan, divisional commissioner, who is also the monitoring in-charge for Covid-19 situation in Gurugram, admitted that people were hesitant in opting for institutional isolation.

“Nearly 85% patients are asymptomatic and prefer home isolation. Our teams advise them for institutional isolation. Some people think it is expensive. Others have issues like homecare and home cooked meals. We will be advertising about our government-paid facilities to break the chain of transmission and to avoid patients becoming critical.”

Currently, 129 patients are in a critical condition and on ventilator support in the city. The number of patients requiring critical care has increased in the city. Till June 15, there were 48 patients on life support system. Officials said that the figures were low due to poor feeding of data by private hospitals on the common portal, which is now being streamlined.

Dr Dhruv Chaudhary of PGIMS Rohtak, who is also the nodal officer for Covid-19 tertiary care in the state, said, “Citizens are still getting an understanding of the disease. It is for this reason that they are confused where to be admitted if they test positive. Mandatory institutional isolation of patients with mild symptoms would prevent transmission along with better management of positive cases.”

Nitin, owner of a hotel in sector 18, which has been turned into a government-paid isolation facility, said he has not had a single patient come stay till now. “Patients are referred to hotels by the health team. To avoid transmission of Covid-19, patients are put in one facility instead of being kept in several locations.”

Health policy expert, Dr Preeti Kumar of Public Health Foundation of India, said, “Ideally home isolation is best for most Covid positive people as the large majority will have mild symptoms and can makefull recovery. Good home compliance will ensure that the infection is not transmitted to family members or to the community and is also good for the patients overall well being and mental health. This also does not put unnecessary strain on the already stretched healthcare system. However, in some cases, if the treating doctor feels that certain patients may not be able to self isolate, or have existing serious co-comorbidities, or are elderly, then they may take the decision to provide institutional or facility based isolation for better management.”