Raipur : The Bhupesh Baghel-led Chhattisgarh government has made concessions for asymptomatic coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients, who have been allowed to undergo treatment at home while complying with a few pre-conditions, because of a surge in the viral outbreak cases in the state.

The government said a pilot project of asymptomatic Covid-19 patients undergoing treatment at their homes have started in Raipur and Durg districts and would be expanded across the state.

“A total of 180 home isolation beds have been installed across the 28 districts in the state. The pilot project has started in Raipur and Durg districts. The initiative will be expanded soon,” state health minister TS Singhdeo told HT.

The district collectors have been empowered to take a call on home quarantine facility for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients, he added.

“So far, this line of treatment has been tried out in urban areas, where there are basic living facilities for an asymptomatic Covid-19 patient such as a three-bedroom house, etc. The new policy aims to preempt a lack of bed space in case there is an exponential rise in Covid-19 cases and to treat more critical patients. An elaborate guideline will be issued in a day or two. Besides, 80% of Covid-19 patients in Chhattisgarh have been asymptomatic and low-risk,” the minister said.

Niharika Barika Singh, health secretary, Chhattisgarh, said the decision to let asymptomatic Covid-19 patients, who can undergo treatment at home, would considerably reduce the load on hospitals in the state.

“There is a demand from various sectors that asymptomatic Covid-19 patients do not require hospitalisation and if they can be isolated at home with all the necessary precautions. It will also reduce the load on hospital authorities in a bid to allow them to concentrate on treating symptomatic patients. It will start as a pilot project in certain districts. The government will evaluate the outcome and decide the next course of action,” Singh said.

On Thursday, Chhattisgarh’s Covid-19 count rose to 8,775 after 175 new cases were reported and the death toll climbed to 51.

The following is the district-wise break-up of 175 new Covid-19 cases: Raipur (93), Rajnandgaon (21), Durg (13), Kondagaon (9), Bilaspur (8), Janjgir-Champa (4) Balodabazar (4), Kanker (3), Narayanpur (3), Munegli (2), Koriya (2), Surajpur (2), Bastar (2), and Dantewada (2).

Chhattisgarh, where SARS-CoV-2 that causes the disease has spread to all the 28 districts in the state, has recorded over 5,900 cases just in the last month, data showed.

Raipur district is the worst-hit, as it has recorded 2,752 Covid-19 cases to date, including over 2,400 in the past month.