Nagpur COVID-19 plan: Antigen tests, focus on critical cases

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation will admit asymptomatic patients in COVID care centres while others with moderate to severe symptoms will be treated in dedicated COVID hospitals, civic chief Tukaram Mundhe said on Sunday.

High risk contacts of COVID-19 patients will now be kept in home isolation and only those from congested areas and smaller homes will be kept in quarantine centres, Mundhe said while explaining NMC's new strategy to fight the outbreak.

"NMC is focusing on increasing antigen tests, bed management and creating awareness to bring about behavioral change among people. We are now focusing on positive patients category-wise. Positive asymptomatic patients will be kept at COVID care centres. As cases increase, we need to focus on moderate to critical cases," he told PTI.

"We have capacity in government hospitals, including three major institutions, namely IGGMC, GMCH and AIIMS. Most private hospitals will be working as dedicated COVID health care or DCH. In the days to come, five more hospitals will be activated," Mundhe added.

He said antigen tests will be carried out on those showing symptoms of influenza like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI).

Private hospitals are being monitored to ensure patients are not overcharged, Mundhe said.