The Health Ministry says the criteria for discharging confirmed Covid-19 patients has been revised based on growing evidence and global recommendations. Accordingly, patients who remain asymptomatic for 14 days since the diagnostic test are discharged without a subsequent PCR test. The Secretary of Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Dr. Haritha Aluthge, however, cautioned that discharging patients without being referred to a PCR test following the quarantine period could lead to an adverse situation. He noted that several Covid-19 patients who were listed to be discharged had tested positive on Friday. “At present, discharge of Covid-19 patients from hospitals requires a combination of SARS-CoV-2 PCR ± antibody testing.

Source: The Nation November 07, 2020 06:00 UTC