Health Ministry issues guidelines for notifying COVID-19 in private facilities

In a bid to strengthen containment measures amid rising cases of coronavirus, the Health Ministry on Tuesday issued guidelines for notifying COVID-19 in private facilities.

Stating that it is of utmost importance that each case of coronavirus is isolated and provided appropriate treatment and their contacts are traced at the earliest to break the chain of transmission, the Health Ministry said that it was important that support and cooperation of the private sector is enlisted in this regard.

Therefore, it shall be mandatory for all hospitals (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 concerned district surveillance unit.

All practitioners shall also get the self-declaration forms who, within their knowledge, have travel history of COVID-19 affected countries as per the extant guidelines and are falling under the case definition of coronavirus (suspect/case), the guidelines read.

Incase the person has any such history in the last 14 days and is symptomatic as per the case definition of COVID-19, the person must be isolated in the hospital and will be tested for the disease as per the protocol.

Information of all such cases should be given to the state helpline number (list enclosed) and also to national helpline 1075.

A total of 137 people have tested positive for coronavirus in India. Three persons have died of the disease.