SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Saturday said that not all positive cases need hospitalisation.
Informing that a lot of people have called up asking why they have not been tested, the chief minister said that tests have been prioritised.
The testing protocol is being done first for high risk primary contacts who lived in close proximity and contact with the positive patient.
“The next level will be other symptomatic primary contacts. These are primary contacts who have been in close proximity with the concerned individual.
And third are symptomatic high risk individuals who have visited the concerned hospital on or after March 24 and registered with the government and these are more of individuals who met with the person directly,” the chief minister said.
He informed that all asymptotic cases and asymptomatic individuals who have visited Bethany Hospital after March 24 and have registered with the government are not being tested currently.
He said all those individuals should go for mandatory home quarantine for at least 14 days and in case they develop symptoms they should call the helpline number 108.
On case management protocol, the chief minister said, “All the asymptomatic category A and mild symptomatic category B positive patients do not require hospitalisation. As per the protocol issued by the union health ministry, they should be either in home quarantine or they can opt to be shifted to the government designated Corona Care Centre by calling 108.”
He also said in case the patients do not have space for themselves to self isolate at home, they can avail facilities of the government.
“Existing evidence shows that 80 per cent of the positive cases across the world fall under category A and category B”, the chief minister said, while adding, “severe and symptomatic cases having respiratory distress, breathing difficulty requiring oxygen support fall under category C and they would be treated at the designated hospital”.
He also informed that severe symptomatic cases with other comorbidity conditions and requiring ventilator and ICU support are under category D and they would be treated at designated hospitals having such facilities like the Civil Hospital, Dr. H. Gordon Roberts Hospital and Nazareth Hospital.
Agri-activities
On farming activities, the chief minister said, “Products like areca nut, betel leaf and broom sticks will be allowed to transport to different markets with restriction, and transportation outside the state will not be allowed.”
