Home treatment, quarantine for levels one, two COVID-19 patients - Dr Adham

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has established that levels one and two COVID-19 patients will undergo treatment and quarantine at home, while being monitored strictly by health workers, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

He said a task force has been formed at the Crisis Preparedness and Emergency Response Centre (CPRC) level, state and district levels to monitor patients being treated at home.

However, he said patients with symptoms would be treated in hospitals and the usual monitoring would be carried out.

"We are doing this as we need to act fast in treating and isolating positive cases and to this end, the MoH will continue with the contact tracing in efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve," he told reporters after attending the MOH's New Year mandate ceremony here today.

Dr Adham said the levels one and two patients would be quarantined at home for 10 days and a screening test would be conducted on them on the last day.

"The screening test will be done in their respective homes and if the result is negative, they are free from COVID-19," he said.

Dr Adham said ministry staff would assess the size of the house and number of occupants before allowing these patients to undergo treatment at their respective homes, adding that if the house is small or crowded, the patients would be taken to the hospital.

"If the facilities at home are satisfactory, with sufficient space for isolation and the family understands the need for quarantine and the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the MoH...they will be treated at home," he added.

He said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah would give details on the home treatment and quarantine soon.

On Jan 4, Dr Noor Hisham reportedly said MoH was considering isolating and treating COVID-19 patients who are without symptoms and or with mild symptoms at home, as the existing health facilities were not able to cope with the surge in daily cases.

-- BERNAMA