Punjab allows home isolation to coronavirus patients

LAHORE: Punjab health authorities have allowed coronavirus patients’ isolation at homes with compliance of the standard operating procedures, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Chief Minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar has granted permission for the home isolation of the coronavirus patients in accordance with the SOPs of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The patients with minor symptoms of the infection could be given permission to remain isolate at home, the chief minister said. The patient will remain under the observation of concerned district health authority.

Chief Minister Buzdar has said that the building housing a patient will be disinfected on daily basis. Under the SOPs, the patients will be provided meals in disposable pots.

A committee nominated by the deputy commissioner will decide about permission for home isolation of a patient, the chief minister said.

The home isolation committee will be comprised of the assistant commissioner or his representative, DDO Health and the chief officer. Three committees will be formed at each union council level with a doctor as a member.

Under the SOPs for home isolation, health authorities will give permission for home isolation after an inspection of the house and will not allow home isolation if no separate room will be available in the house for the patient. The family will be bound to report the health department about the condition of patient on daily basis.

The tally of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country has jumped to 29, 465 with 1,991 new cases reported during the past 24 hours in the country.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre, 11,093 cases have so far been detected in Punjab, 10,771 in Sindh, 4,509 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1,935 in Balochistan, 430 in Gilgit Baltistan, 641 in Islamabad and 86 in Azad Kashmir.

Moreover, 8,023 patients have so far recovered from the virus while 20,803 patients are still going through the treatment process.