Bodies of suspected COVID cases to be handed over to kin without awaiting lab confirmation

The Union Health Ministry has directed all States and Union Territories (UTs) that bodies of those who die suspectedly from COVID-19 should be handed over to their relatives without waiting for laboratory confirmation of the infection. However, the mortal remains should be disposed off as per government guidelines.

Dr Rajiv Garg, Directorate General of Health Services at the Health Ministry wrote to all state governments and UTs citing issue raised regarding deaths of suspected COVID-19 patients and dead bodies not being handed over to the relatives due to pending confirmation of test report by the hospitals.

"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-19 should not be awaited," the letter read.

"These bodies can as a matter of abundant precaution be disposed as per the 'guidelines on dead body management' available on the website of Union Health Ministry dated March 15, 2020 which directs that handlers in PPE accompany the dead body for final rites," it said.

"If such death cases test positive eventually, then the requisite action for contact listing, tracking etc. should be carried out subsequently," it read.

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