Mumbai: Institutional Isolation Must For COVID-19 Positive Patients Aged Above 50 Years

The Civic body took the decision in order to curb the high morality rate among COVID-19 patients in the city.

(Representative Image/ Getty)

Mumbai: In the wake of continuous surge in the number of Coroanvirus cases in Maharashtra, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has tightened the quarantine guidelines making institutional isolation compulsory for all the COVID-19 infected patients aged above above 50 years. In a circular issued on August 19, the public health department recommended that anybody aged above 50 year, with or without co- morbidities, must undergo complete isolation at Covid Care Centre from this week in a bid to bring down morality rate. The Civic body took the decision in order to curb the high morality rate among COVID-19 patients in the city. As per the data recorded, it was analysed that mortality rate in patients in the 50 to 60 age group is very high. As per the reports, one in five infections and one in four deaths in the city was from the age-bracket of 50-59. As per the guidelines issued earlier, home isolation was permitted for patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, are below 60, do not have any co-morbidity and have separate toilet facility. Meanwhile, the authority has also directed the solid waste management department to carry out sanitisation of premises and home at least once when a Coronavirus case is detected in a housing society. Earlier this week, the civic body had reported that the Coronavirus cases doubled at a faster rate in country's financial capital last week as compared to the previous week and the average growth rate of the viral infection also went up. Going by the BMC data quoted in a PTI report, Mumbai registered the slowest doubling rate of 89 days and the lowest growth rate of 0.79 per cent in August 8. However, the doubling rate became faster at 83 days and the average growth rate of Covid-19 cases rose to 0.84 per cent on Saturday. As per the figures, the average doubling rate in Mumbai again slowed a little on Sunday to 85 days. The growth rate decreased to 0.82 per cent, as per BMC records.