‘Over 600 people in Bhubaneswar recovered from COVID-19 at home in 1 month’

Bhubaneswar: A month after the Odisha government allowed home isolation for asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients, more than 600 people in Bhubaneswar have recovered from the disease without having to undergo treatment at a hospital, a senior official said.

Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy had said last month that the state government received several requests for home isolation, with patients claiming that it would reduce their “psychological burden”.

At least 1,035 people who have tested positive for the infection since mid-July in the state capital underwent home isolation, and 608 have recovered, the senior Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said on Tuesday.

“Only those with no comorbidity are allowed to stay at home under the supervision of a nodal or a ward officer, provided they self-isolate themselves. During the phase, the patient should be giving mandatory updates to the state-level and city-level control rooms.

“A care giver could be assigned if necessary. People under home isolation will have to ensure their own safety along with that of the household and the community at large,” the official said.

If there is a need to shift a patient to a COVID-care facility, it can be arranged through consultations with the BMC, which will make arrangements for an ambulance, he added.

Official sources said the government has started distributing safety kits to those living under home quarantine. Each kit contains Vitamin C tablets and oral rehydration salt sachets among other things.

(PTI)