The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said Covid-19 patients under home isolation will stand discharged after at least seven days from testing positive and no fever for three successive days, in revised guidelines for home isolation of mild or asymptomatic cases.
It also advised people not to rush for self-medication, blood investigation or radiological imaging like chest X-ray or CT scan without consultation of treating medical officer.
Besides, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said that the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, is the predominant circulating strain in India.
“Omicron is the predominant circulating strain in cities in the country. Mass gatherings should be avoided to lower the speed of this spread,” Dr Bhargava said during the Union Health Ministry briefing on Wednesday.
Main points from the briefing:
– The government on Wednesday ruled out mixing Covid-19 vaccines for precautionary dose. Precautionary Covid-19 vaccine dose will be the same as the one given previously, said Dr VK Paul.
– Omicron detecting RT-PCR kit has been developed in partnership with Tata MD and ICMR and it has been approved by DCGI. This kit will test will give results in 4 hours: Dr Balram Bhargava, DG,ICMR
– Molnupiravir has major safety concerns including mutagenicity, muscle & bone damage. If this drug is given contraception has to be done for three months as child may have problems. So it is not included in national task got treatments: Dr Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR
– Any mask is better than no mask. Has to be worn in a closed space especially if a family member is tested positive: Dr Balram Bhargava
– The ministry has also said that Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Gujarat are States of concern where there has been a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Moreover, India also recorded the first death linked to the Omicron variant after the samples of a man in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, who died last week, showed the presence of the variant.
Confirming the development, Luv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary of Health Ministry, said: “Technically it is Omicron related death (on the Rajasthan case). He was an elderly person. The person is reported to have comorbidities, like diabetes among others.”
India on Wednesday reported 58,097 fresh COVID cases and 534 deaths while on Tuesday, the country had recorded 37,379 new COVID cases and 124 deaths.
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