Delhi: Mandatory 5-day institutional quarantine for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients

MHA sources confirm Delhi has been instructed to make five days institutional quarantine compulsory for all testing +ve for #Covid_19. Until now it was home quarantine for asymptomatic and those with mild symptoms. MHA argues isolation not possible in most homes. @IndianExpress

— Deeptiman Tiwary (@DeeptimanTY) June 19, 2020

To avoid an overwhelming health infrastructure crisis, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had repeatedly urged patients with “no or mild symptoms” to “recover in the comfort of their homes”. In April this year, the government had also announced a change in its policy, limiting hospitalisation to patients who really needed it in order to rationalise the use of hospital beds.

Since then, cases have gone up exponentially, with Delhi alone reporting almost 50,000 confirmed cases, including 1,969 deaths and 21,341 recoveries so far.

Earlier in the day, a committee led by NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul, along with representatives from the Delhi government and AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria fixed the charges for isolation beds and ICU facilities with and without ventilators.

The Home Ministry had also assured arrangements for Delhi to be able to carry out 6 lakh Covid tests a day, even as it is being provided 500 additional ventilators and 650 more ambulances.