Covid-19 isolation period has been reduced

Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize said this recommendation was based on evidence that most patients with a mild Covid-19 infection continue to shed the virus from their upper airways for approximately 7-12 days. 

Furthermore, he said,  the presence of detectable virus when testing does not necessarily imply infectiousness.

It has been proven that in mild cases, virus cultures are generally only positive for 8-9 days after symptom onset, – Dr Zweli Mkhize

The department says duration of infectiousness in patients with severe disease (i.e. requiring admission due to clinical instability) is less well established.

In general, patients with severe disease may continue to shed virus at higher levels for longer periods than patients with mild disease.

ALSO READ: UPDATE: 1 more death, 1775 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Ugu District

“It is recommended that such patients be de-isolated 10 days after clinical stability has been achieved, rather than 10 days after symptom onset.

“To illustrate this in simple terms, if a patient was admitted and placed on oxygen, we advise that when their oxygen supplementation is discontinued, the patient remain in isolation for another 10 days. This continued isolation provides clinical comfort that the patient is no longer infectious,” he said.

“Asymptomatic patients represent a conceptual challenge, since it is not possible to estimate where in the course of viral shedding they are at the time point at which they test positive.

We therefore advise that an asymptomatic patients must remain in isolation for a period of 10 days following the date of their positive results.

“I must mention that these guidelines have been provided by the World Health Organisation. The Ministerial Advisory Committee has also submitted an advisory in this regard. Their advisory proposed that the isolation period should be reduced to 8 days.

After considering this advice and the guidelines by the WHO, the National Coronavirus Command Council, on recommendation by Health, resolved to adopt the WHO guidelines,” said Dr Mkhize.

Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram