Covid-19: Centre asks states to handover dead bodies of suspected patients to families without test results

NEW DELHI: Amid concerns about handing over of dead bodies of suspected Covid-19 cases, the health ministry has asked all states and UTs to hand over bodies of suspected Covid-19 cases to their relatives without waiting for laboratory confirmation of the infection but said the mortal remains should be disposed of as per government guidelines.
In a letter to state health secretaries and principal secretaries, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), under the health ministry, Dr Rajiv Garg said these bodies can as a matter of “abundant precaution” be disposed as per the guidelines on dead body management, which were issued by the health ministry in March.
“I would like to clarify that the dead bodies of such suspected Covid cases should be handed over to their relatives immediately and laboratory confirmation of Covid should not be awaited,” the letter said.
The move comes in the wake of issues raised regarding death of suspected Covid-19 patients and bodies not being handed over to relatives pending confirmation of test report by hospitals.
Guidelines on dead body management direct that handlers in PPE accompany the body for final rites.
“If such death cases test positive eventually, then the requisite action for contact listing, tracking etc. should be carried out subsequently. Further necessary action may be taken as per the clarification given above,” the letter said.
On Thursday, health ministry reported a total of over 6 lakh confirmed Covid-19 cases. Of this, over 2.26 lakh are active cases, whereas 3.59 lakh people have recovered. The death-toll rose to 17,834 with 434 persons succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours, health ministry said.