Death by suicide within 1 month of person testing +ve is Covid-19 death: Govt tells SC

Sept. 24: Ina significant development, the Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it has decided to include death by suicide happening within 30 days of a person testing positive as Covid-19 death, thereby entitling their next of kin to get Rs. 50,000 as ex-gratia.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the SC that death certificates issued before the new order was put in place can be corrected by raising a plea before the district level committee, which will be set up state governments. States have to set up the grievance redressal committees within 30 days, the Centre said.

The government has submitted guidelines in Supreme Court on what would constitute a COVID-19 death. Earlier, the government had said that deaths occurring due to poisoning, suicide, homicide, accidents etc will not be treated as COVID-19 deaths despite the deceased testing COVID positive. The apex court had asked the government to reconsider this condition.

Earlier, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta apprised the court that the NDMA had recommended payment of Rs 50,000 ex-gratia to the next of kin of those who died due to COVID-19 and told about the guidelines. The guidelines also said that a Covid-19 case, while admitted to the hospital/in-patient facility, and who continued as the same admission beyond 30 days and died subsequently, shall be treated as a Covid-19 death. The assistance will not be limited to families affected by Covid-19 deaths in first and second wave of pandemic but will continue in future phases of the pandemic as well, the authority said.