Asymptomatics should not occupy hospital beds in Pune: Order

PUNE: The district administration on Thursday directed the local health authority to move all asymptomatic patients from hospitals to specialised Covid Care Centres.

The move, officials said, will free up hospital beds for patients with moderate to severe Covid-19 infection.

Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said hospitals have been warned not to admit anyone who is asymptomatic. He said, “We have been reiterating the directive that asymptomatic positive patients should not be occupying beds. But we have been seeing some admissions. We have now ordered all hospitals to discharge these patients. They cannot be occupying beds that can better serve moderate to serious patients.”

The PMC’s additional commissioner Rubal Agarwal, who was part of a meeting on Thursday with hospital heads, said: “These patients (asymptomatic) do not get any benefits as there is no government health scheme offering them cover. They can opt for home isolation or a Covid Care Centre.”