Asymptomatic COVID-19 patients to be treated at home: Delhi Health Minister

Those COVID-19 patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms of the infection will be kept under home quarantine for 14 days and will be treated at their homes, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday.Being asked about the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) statement that currently there are no approved, definitive therapies for COVID-19, he said the Delhi government has received permission from Centre to conduct plasma therapy."The Centre has said that plasma therapy is very technical and is at an experimental stage currently.

Those COVID-19 patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms of the infection will be kept under home quarantine for 14 days and will be treated at their homes, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday.

There are currently 3,314 COVID-19 cases in Delhi. So far, 1078 have been cured in the national capital. 53 are currently in ICUs and 12 patients are on ventilators, the Health Minister said.

"According to the new protocol, those who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms of COVID-19 will be kept under home quarantine for 14 days and will be treated at their homes. There is no need to hospitalise such patients," Jain told media persons here.

The decision taken by the Delhi government comes after the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued guidelines for home isolation of people who either have very mild COVID-19 symptoms or are in the pre-symptomatic phase.

Being asked about the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) statement that currently there are no approved, definitive therapies for COVID-19, he said the Delhi government has received permission from Centre to conduct plasma therapy.

"The Centre has said that plasma therapy is very technical and is at an experimental stage currently. Those who do not have permission should not practice it. Delhi has permission from the Centre. Only, those who have permission should perform this therapy," he said.

Various states including Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra have started using plasma therapy for treating COVID-19 patients. In Delhi, the first patient, who was administered convalescent plasma therapy on compassionate grounds at Max Hospital has recovered fully.

( With inputs from ANI )