Mizoram mules home isolation for asymptomatic COVID patients

Aizawl, September 15: The Mizoram government is mulling to place asymptomatic Covid-19 patients under “home isolation,” an official said.

The official said that a meeting of health officials, NGOs and churches chaired by health minister Dr R. Lalthangliana on Monday discussed the possibility of putting asymptomatic patients under “home isolation“. The meeting agreed to make a proposal after a thorough study and to review the matter again, he said.

The meeting also mentioned that separate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for children below 18 years has been evolved and framing of SOP for vulnerable sections is being undertaken by the government.

The meeting also highlighted the present status of Covid-19 Care Centres (CCC) in various districts. It was mentioned in the meeting that at present there are 18 COM in Aizawl districts to accommodate 1,042 patients, including 160 personnel of paramilitary forces. The government has also inspected a 480 bedded community housing complex under BSUP and Women’s Polytechnic Hostel old building, which could accommodate 80 people.

Both the facilities are located at Durtlang locality in Aizawl. The meeting has expressed thanks to churches and some YMA branches, which offered their halls for CCC. The meeting agreed to inspect those halls offered by churches and YMA to see if they are fit for CCC.

The Mizoram University also agreed to offer some of its halls to be used as CCC. Health minister Dr R. Lalthangliana will inspect the halls on Tuesday, sources said. According to officials, the government has so far notified 35 Covid-19 Care Centres, which could accommodate at least 1,722 people, The government is facing a shortage of facilities for treating novel coronavirus patients.

Earlier, the government has urged churches and YMA to offer their halls to be used as Covid-19 Care Centre. So far, two churches- Tuikuahtlang and Venghnuai and Electric Veng branch of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) have extended their help to the state government by offering their halls to be used as Covid-19 Care Centres.

Mizoram on Monday reported 14 new Covid-19 cases, taking the state’s tally to 1,128. There are 509 active patients in the state while a total of 919 people have already recovered.