The Union Health Ministry has issued revised discharge policy based on emerging evidence.  In mild cases, admitted to a COVID Care Facility or under home isolation, one can be discharged after at least seven days from testing positive and no fever for three successive days. No need for testing prior to discharge, the ministry said.

In moderate cases admitted to Dedicated COVID Health Centre, if there is resolution of symptoms and the patient maintains saturation above 93 per cent for the three successive days (without oxygen support), and stable comorbidities, if any, such patient will be discharged as per the advice of the treating medical officer. There is no need for testing prior to discharge, the Ministry stated.

Patients on oxygen whose signs and symptoms do not resolve, and demand of oxygen therapy continues can be discharged as per the advice of the treating medical officer only after resolution of clinical symptoms, ability to maintain prescribed oxygen saturation for three successive days without oxygen support, and stable comorbidities, if any.

In severe cases, including immunocompromised (HIV patients, transplant recipients, malignancy etc.), the discharge criteria will be based on clinical recovery at the discretion of the treating medical officer, it added.

Meanwhile, the ministry informed that around 5.52 lakh Omicron cases have been reported in 149 countries and as many as 115 Omicron deaths have been reported globally. In India, 4,868 cases have so far been reported in 28 States/UTs, of which 1,805 have recovered, the Ministry added.

The Ministry futher informed that 159 countries around the world are reporting a high surge in COVID-19 cases. There are more than 4.49 crore active cases in the world and as many as 25.13 lakh average daily cases were recorded globally in last one week, it added.