2 COVID patients including a child dies in Cachar, case referred to Audit Board

July 21: Tuesday registered death of two COVID-19 positive patients in Cachar district. They were identified as a 7-year-old child, Nivash Roy and 46-year-old Samsul Islam. This was disclosed by District Media Expert Suman Choudhury. He said, “Though these two deceased were COVID-19 positive patients, yet it cannot be ascertained as of now, whether the cause of their death is due to coronavirus. They had other co-morbidity. We have referred the cases to State Death Audit Board. Once the board gives its final opinion, then we can know whether these deaths are directly due to COVID-19 or not.”

Sources at Silchar Medical College & Hospital revealed that the 7-year-old child, Nivash Roy was admitted at Silchar Medical College & Hospital (SMCH) on Monday night due to nephritis. However, as per COVID protocol, his swab sample was collected. Unfortunately, the child died at around 10 PM on Monuyday. Similarly, the other deceased Samsul Islam (46) was a patient of tuberculosis. Due to breathing problems, he too came to SMCH on Monday. Maintaining the protocol, his swab was also collected. However, he died on Tuesday morning. Their swab report came after their death and both of them tested positive. Though the child died on Monday night, yet the information was divulged by the health department on Tuesday evening.

ICMR has issued a guideline which states that death of all COVID-19 patients should not be considered as COVID-19 deaths unless the person was primarily dying due to the virus. It is In this connection that ICMR has created a format that needs to be filled up while assessing the cause of death of a patient. As such, the State Health Department has constituted a ‘Death Audit Board’ that will decide if the death of a COVID-19 positive patient can be attributed to COVID-19 infection. Director of Medical Education Assam, Dr Anup Kumar Barman is at the helm of the newly formed ‘death audit board’.