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Ministry revises discharge criteria as COVID cases rise
As the numbers affected by COVID-19 rose drastically this week, the Health Ministry on Friday revised its ‘discharge criteria’ from isolation facilities and hospitals for ‘asymptomatic’ (without symptoms) and ‘mildly-symptomatic’ patients respectively.
The ministry has decided to do away with the mandatory RT-PCR testing which should be negative before discharge, the Sunday Times learns.
However, for discharge, asymptomatic patients have to fulfil the requirement of passing 14 days after being tested positive and remaining asymptomatic during this period. For mildly-symptomatic patients, the requirement is passing the 14 days as well as being symptom-free (free of cough, sore-throat and shortness of breath) for at least three days, it is understood.
Thereafter, these discharged asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients should isolate themselves at home for another 14 days, it is learnt.
Pointing out that at present the discharge of COVID-19 patients requires a combination of SARS-CoV-2 PCR as well as antibody testing, the ministry states that this may lead to practical difficulties in the future if the current trend in COVID-19 caseload continues, overwhelming laboratory and hospital capacities.
“Most individuals, despite being non-infectious continue to test positive for COVID-19 by PCR and also take longer to develop antibodies resulting in prolonged hospital stay which can negatively influence the patient as well as the healthcare system,” states the ministry in a circular sent on October 30.
Here are the revised criteria for discharge based on growing evidence and global recommendations:
· Discharge of asymptomatic (without symptoms) individuals from an isolation facility/intermediate care centre – they should meet both the criteria of passing at least 14 days from the time of the diagnostic PCR test and have remained asymptomatic throughout that period.
· Discharge of mildly-symptomatic individuals from an isolation facility/hospital – they should meet both the criteria of passing at least 14 days from the onset of illness/point of positive PCR test and they should have remained without fever and respiratory symptoms (cough, sore-throat and shortness of breath) for at least three days.
The ministry adds that if all the criteria recommended are fulfilled, a patient can be discharged from an isolation facility/intermediate care centre or hospital without subsequent testing.