Health Ministry issues guidelines for notifying COVID-19 affected persons by private institutions

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued fresh guidelines for notifying COVID-19 affected persons by private healthcare institutions.

The Ministry stated that "it is of utmost importance that each and every case (suspects/confirmed) of COVID-19 is isolated and provided appropriate treatment and their contacts are traced at the earliest to break the chain of transmission."

It added that it is important that support and cooperation of the private sector is enlisted in this regard.

The Health Ministry stated that it shall be mandatory for all hospitals, both government and private, medical officers in government health institutions and registered private medical practitioners including AYUSH practitioners, to "notify such person(s) with COVID-19 affected person to the concerned district surveillance unit."

"All practitioners shall also get the self-declaration forms, who, within their knowledge, are having travel history of COVID-19 affected countries as per the extant guidelines and are falling under the case definition of COVID-19. In case the person has any such history in the last 14 days and is symptomatic as per case definition of COVID-19, the person must be isolated in the hospital and will be tested for COVID-19 as per protocol," the Ministry stated.

It also mentioned that information of all such cases should be given to the state helpline number and also to national helpline 1075.