Karnataka tweaks norms for discharge of COVID-19 patients

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Government on Tuesday issued a fresh circular stating that a COVID-19 patient could be discharged from hospital after 10 days subject to below-mentioned criteria

No fever and symptoms of disease for last 3 days before discharge,
Patient must maintain 95 percent oxygen saturation for four previous days (without extra oxygen support).
Patient’s breathlessness and clinical symptoms must be resolved

As per the new circular, the patient will have to undergo one RT-PCR test three days after being symptom-free, and if the report is negative then he can be discharged. Patients are to spend 14 days in home quarantine following discharge.

In case the test result is positive the RT-PCR test shall be repeated after 72 hours.

If the patient is asymptomatic, he shall be discharged after repeat RT-PCR test is performed 7 days after the first test is found to be negative.

In the earlier policy, there had to be two consecutive negative tests 14 days after the first test turned positive for the patient, in order to discharge them.