Page 14 - FINAL SWATHYA Health Journal Vo1 Issue1 April 1st 2020

A VIEW FROM INDIA

COVID-19: The medical fraternity is
braving the enemy round-the-clock, at the cost

of their own safety and great personal sacrifice.
I salute them all!

Dr KK Aggarwal
Recipient of Padma Shri
President CMAAO & Heart Care Foundation of India
Past President Indian Medical Association

he world is experiencing a public health crisis of the Covid-19 patients are being managed in India: Covid Care
Tmagnitude never experienced by the modern world since Centres (for mild or suspect cases), Covid Health Centres
the Spanish Flu during the First World War. There is a global (for moderate infection) and Dedicated Covid Hospitals (for
pandemic of the new coronavirus disease. Covid-19 was critically ill persons).
first reported as a “cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown There are well-demarcated areas for confirmed and
cause” in Wuhan, China on 31st December, 2019. Since then, suspect cases in each hospital so that they do not mix; the
it has rampaged through continents and today more than entry and exit are kept separate as far as possible. All the
200 countries are in the grip of the disease. There are now three hospitals are linked to the surveillance team under the
almost 2.5 million cases globally (20.4.20) and this number Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). Standard
continues to rise every day at an alarming pace. The global precautions - hand hygiene, use of personal protective
death toll has crossed 150,000 (20.4.20). There is no sign equipment (PPE) - face masks (N95 or surgical), gloves,
yet that the pandemic is flattening or leveling off. The United gowns, goggles - for their personal safety and strict infection
States has overtaken China, which was the epicenter of the prevention and control practices are strictly adhered to.
pandemic and now tops the list of countries with highest All cases are kept in isolation and treated symptomatically
number of total cases including total deaths. until the test results are available.
India reported its first case of corona virus disease on The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the
30th January this year. As on 20th April, India has 14255 apex health research body of India, has revised its testing
active cases; 2841 persons have been cured or discharged strategy since the outbreak first came to light. Initially, “only
and 559 deaths have been reported, as per data from the close contacts of laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases, who
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. develop respiratory symptoms within 14 days of home
The state of Maharashtra has the highest number of cases quarantine or those with a history of travel to Covid-19
followed by the states of Delhi, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and affected countries within the last 14 days and who develop
Madhya Pradesh. respiratory symptoms within 14 days of home quarantine”
At the time of writing this, India has extended its were tested.
lockdown (implemented from 24th March midnight) till But now, all symptomatic persons with travel history,
17th May with the intent to break the chain of transmission. symptomatic persons in contact with laboratory confirmed
The Health Ministry has issued guidelines on the Covid-positive cases, patients with severe acute respiratory
management of Covid-19, including testing strategy, which illness (fever, cough and/or shortness of breath) and
are applicable to government and private hospitals both. symptomatic health care workers are tested for Covid-19. All
All Covid-19 cases in India are being managed as per these asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed
guidelines. case are also tested once between day 5 and day 14 of coming
It is mandatory for “all hospitals (Government and in contact with a Covid-positive patient.
Private), Medical officers in Government health institutions “In hotspots and clusters and in large migration
and registered Private Medical Practitioners including gatherings/ evacuees centres, all persons with influenza-
AYUSH Practitioners, to notify such person(s) with COVID-19 like illness (fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache,
affected person to the concerned district surveillance unit.” malaise) are tested with reverse transcription polymerase
All practitioners are also required to get “the self-declaration chain reaction (RT-PCR) if within 7 days of illness or antibody
forms (enclosed), who, within their knowledge, are having test if after 7 days of illness (If negative, to be confirmed by
travel history of COVID-19 affected countries as per the rRT-PCR).”
extant guidelines and are falling under the case definition of Some hospitals have set up makeshift walk-in Fever
COVID-19 (Suspect/Case).” Clinics outside the main hospital building for triaging.
Triage is the first step in managing Covid-19 patients or Persons with fever and/or symptoms like cough, runny
persons suspected of having Covid-19. nose, sore throat are screened here to identify suspect cases,
Being a resource-poor country, India is following acuity- which are then referred to the appropriate Covid dedicated
based triaging for its Covid-19 cases, which ensures that facility depending on the severity of the infection.
patients get the desired level of care with optimum utilization • Mild or very mild cases or suspect cases are
of resources. Being mindful of this, three categories of managed at the COVID Care Centers set up in hostels,
dedicated Covid hospitals have been defined under which hotels, schools, etc. They are connected to one or
14 Volume:1 I Issue:1 I APRIL 2020