Corrigendum | Bengaluru: 13 asymptomatic, but quarantined for flying from high-risk nations

13 Indians who are under the risk of being affected by COVID-19 have been sent to Akash Institute of Medical Sciences, which is the designated quarantine centre for Karnataka

CORRIGENDUM: The 13 Indian nationals who have been sent to Akash Institute of Medical Sciences, the designated quarantine centre for Karnataka, do not have COVID-19 symptoms as mentioned in a report published on Page 1 of DH edition dated March 15, 2020. The 13 Indian nationals, who returned from endemic nations, are "asymptomatic". However, these are cases which come under risk category B. This category includes passengers who are above 60 years of age and have comorbid conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, and have to be quarantined, health department officials said. We regret the errors in the report.

Corrected Text Below:

With Karnataka in shutdown mode to combat the spread of deadly coronavirus outbreak, 13 Indian nationals, who do not have COVID-19 symptoms but are under the risk of being affected by the disease, have been sent to Akash Institute of Medical Sciences, which is the designated quarantine centre for the state.

The institute — which is located 15 km away from the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru — has readied around 150 beds for quarantining cases which come under the risk category B.

This category includes passengers who are above 60 years of age and have co-morbid conditions like diabetes and hypertension, and have to be quarantined.

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According to a statement from the Karnataka health department, quarantine of passengers as per risk categorisation has been initiated from Friday.

The development comes amid growing alarm over the spread of the virus, which has forced several states to initiate shutdowns similar to Karnataka even as positive cases across the nation rose to 84 on Saturday.

“The institute has been selected as a centre for quarantining passengers from seven high-endemic countries,” said Dr BG Prakash Kumar, Joint Director, Communicable Diseases, Department of Health and Family Welfare.

The seven countries are: China, Iran, France Germany, Italy, Korea and Spain.

“The Union government has sent a circular saying passengers from endemic countries (those which are epicentres with more cases reported) should be kept in designated state quarantine centres. Akash is not a treatment centre but a quarantine centre. All 13 are asymptomatic,” Prakash Kumar said.

Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey and Dr Prakash Kumar had visited the private medical college and hospital on Thursday for inspecting the facilities. They were accompanied by officers from Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (Ab-ArK), Bengaluru Rural District Health Officer and Taluk Health Officer.

Dr Brijesh K, anaesthesiologist (emergency medicine) and deputy medical superintendent of Akash Institute said, “There are 10 beds available in the Covid-19 ICU, 30 beds in paediatric Covid-19 ward, 30 beds for adult male patients and 30 beds for adult female patients.”He also said there was also a gynaecology Covid-19 ward and seven to eight isolation rooms for quarantining patients who turn positive.

“Any patient with acute febrile illness can be treated at the institute and can get a coverage of Rs 1,800 under Ab-ArK per day,” he said, adding a patient in ICU can get Rs 4,500 coverage per day.

Acute febrile illness is the medical term used to describe a sudden fever or elevation in body temperature.

There are ten doctors, including the casualty medical officer, who is available 24/7. There are around 100 specialists-cum-professors from various specialities who can treat patients.

Two ambulances fitted with ventilators are available and can be called to the airport in case of an emergency. The hospital caters to Bengaluru Rural population and is three km away from Devanahalli Taluk Hospital, 10 km away from Chikkabalapur and Doddabalapur district hospitals.

The three risk-based categories of passengers:

Category A includes passengers who are symptomatic and will be admitted to a hospital

Category B includes passengers who are above 60 years of age and have co-morbid conditions like diabetes and hypertension, and have to be quarantined

Category C includes those passengers who are below 60 years of age and have to be isolated at home