After criticism from Supreme court, Govt issues new guidelines for Covid death certificate

Sept. 12: The Centre has told the Supreme Court that the health ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have come out with guidelines for issuing an “official document” for Covid-related deaths.

As per these guidelines, deaths that occur within 30 days of testing positive for Covid-19 are to be treated as ‘deaths due to Covid-19’ even if the patient dies outside a hospital or in-patient facility. Additionally, a Covid-19 patient who is admitted to a hospital or in-patient facility for more than 30 days and subsequently dies there will also be treated as a Covid-19 death, according to the guidelines. To be designated a Covid case, the patient must either have been tested or clinically determined as such via investigations by a treating physician at a hospital on in-patient facility.

It is to be noted that deaths occurring due to poisoning, suicide, homicide, accident, etc. are not to be considered as Covid-19 deaths even if Covid was an accompanying condition, as per the Centre’s guidelines. In cases where the family is not satisfied with the cause of death given in the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD), and which do not fall under any of the mentioned categories, a committee is to be formed at the district level to address these concerns. The committee will examine the case and propose remedial measures, including the issuance of an amended official document for Covid-19 death after verification of facts. The committee must dispose of such applications within 30 days.