Over 2,000 patients sent to home-isolation in Rawalpindi

Public healthcare facilities running out of space

RAWALPINDI: As the coronavirus cases spike in the garrison city and hospitals run short of space, the Rawalpindi administration has started moving asymptomatic patients to homes under self-isolation.

Officials told The Express Tribune that as many as 2,009 patients have been shifted to their homes from the hospitals or quarantine facilities for self-isolation at homes.

The quarantine facilities were under pressure as the arrival of coronavirus patients continued in Rawalpindi district. The virus was confirmed in 49 more people in the past 24 hours.



According to the district administration, there are 2,173 coronavirus patients in Rawalpindi. So far, 714 people have recovered from the disease, while 90 patients have died of the virus in the district.

Due to spike in cases after relaxation in lockdown on Eid, the provincial health department and the managements of state-run hospitals decided to send more patients to home-isolation, officials said.

All such infected patients who do not show symptoms of the virus despite they got tested positive are being preferred to observe self-isolation at homes. For this purpose, the administration has devised standard operating procedures (SOPs) as well.

As per procedures, a health department team visits the patient’s house and examine if there was a separate room with an attached bathroom there. They also see if there was proper ventilation in the room where the patient was going to stay. After all green checks, the room was declared an isolation facility, and the patient was moved there, officials said.

Isolation wards set up at all DHQ hospitals

For their own convenience, the infected patients were given the facility of telephonic consultation with a doctor.

The health experts also back the decision as they say that asymptomatic patients show fast recovery at homes than hospitals.

They suggested all victims consume plenty of fluids such as water and fresh juices daily. The experts advised of eating fruits and dry fruits as they help to boost immunity levels.

The consumption of multi-vitamins and calcium intake can also be helpful for infected patients, the experts added and said that if all these instructions are followed, a patient can recover as fast as in 10 days.

Punjab health department sets up isolation wards

Meanwhile, Saddar Beroni Police Station SHO Anwarul Haq has been tested positive for coronavirus.

According to a police spokesman, SHO Anwar ul Haq has been quarantined at his home following the positive reports of COVID-19. Other officials of concerned police station were also being tested for Covid-19, the spokesman said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2020.