Asymptomatic patients, who fall in the high risk category, including those in an older age group and those with co-morbid conditions, will be monitored in high dependency units.
Many patients, who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, are asymptomatic. So far, 15 COVID-19 positive patients have died in the State. Doctors involved in the treatment of patients have been monitoring their lung signs and oxygen saturation levels to prevent sudden deterioration.
“The State’s COVID-19 mortality rate is 1.1%. The objective is to reduce the mortality rate through effective clinical management of patients. We do an immediate death audit and based on feedback, we are improving the treatment protocols,” Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said.
“Now, we have planned to monitor patients who are asymptomatic but fall in the high-risk category in high dependency units. This will include older patients as well as those with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Doctors will provide special care to such patients,” he added.
A senior doctor said that though a patient who has tested positive for COVID-19 may be asymptomatic, he/she is being monitored. “We admit asymptomatic patients as monitoring is crucial. All routine investigations are done for them. Many of them are asymptomatic but we come across findings when a chest X-ray or CT scan is done,” he said.
If a person tests positive and is normal, he/she is admitted to the separate isolation room, he said, adding: “If they are asymptomatic and have co-morbid conditions such as diabetes or even asthma, we will keep them under observation in these high dependency units.”
Testing has increased, says Minister
The Minister said that the government was doing more tests across the State now, and testing facilities are also increasing. “Each testing facility in the government sector has a capacity of 270 samples per day -- 90 per shift in three shifts. The testing capacity of private laboratories is 100 per day. The Public Health Laboratory in Chennai which has also been approved for COVID-19 testing can test up to 1,000 samples a day. We are testing more now,” he said.
