Delta Plus virus: Institutional isolation made obligatory by NMC
Given the risk to citizens, Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B issued an order on Thursday requiring the positive patient to either isolate himself in an institutional setting or admit himself to a hospital.
As a precautionary measure, institutional quarantine has been made mandatory for all COVID-19 patients in Nagpur city, as apparently the hypervirulent nature of the Delta plus strain was detected in samples from some citizens. Given the risk to citizens, Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B issued an order on Thursday requiring the positive patient to either isolate himself in an institutional setting or admit himself to a hospital. Radhakrishnan B directed the Zonal Commissioners to keep a close eye on new patients and stated that under no circumstances would home isolation be allowed.
Because the Delta plus variant is highly contagious, the NMC has decided to take a tough stance to prevent COVID-19 cases from soaring and sparking another wave. The previous experience of home isolation proved threatening because many patients were found wandering in the open, going to market, and blending openly with strangers. The lessons learned from the second wave of COVID-19 are still fresh in the minds of civic officials, as is the difficulty that the administration faced in containing the fallout, and thus this time civic officials are not prepared for any risk.
There have already been reports of three to four people infected with the Delta plus variant again when their COVID-19 test came back positive. The worldwide spread of the new variant has created an alarming situation, particularly in Kerala, where patients in home isolation were found to be spreading the infection to other family members. Every patient who receives a positive COVID-19 report will now be institutionalized or hospitalized, Municipal Commissioner stated in express directives to Assistant Commissioners of NMC’s 10 Zones.
The Institutional Separation Center at MLA’s Hostel in Civil Lines has been kept open by NMC. COVID-19 positive patients can also be hospitalized for treatment at Indira Gandhi Hospital (Gandhinagar), Panchpaoli Maternity Hospital, or Government Medical College and Hospital (Medical College) (Mayo). Additionally, citizens have the option of seeking treatment in private hospitals.
