Hospitals located in and around COVID-19 containment zones should treat suspected Corona patients: Health Ministry

Health and Famil Welfare Ministry has suggested that hospitals located in proximity and catering to Covid-19 containment zone, it might be desirable to treat all patients as suspect Covid-19 case until proven otherwise and exercise standard care.

Health and Family Welfare Ministry issued the the guidelines to be followed on detection of suspect or confirmed covid-19 case in a non covid health facility.

The guidelines stated that whenever a non covid patients or any healthcare worker is suspected to have covid like symptoms or test positive for covid-19, the hospital infection control committee will come



into action, investigate the matter and suggest further course of action.

As per the guidelines, all close contact of Health care worker and supportive staff of the confirmed case should be put on hydroxychloroquine chemoprophylaxis for a period of 7 weeks keeping in mind the contraindication of hydroxychloroquine.

It has also been said that once a suspect or confirmed case is detected in a healthcare facility, standard procedure of rapid isolation, contact listing and tracking disinfection will follow with no need to shut down the whole facility.