ICMR releases guidelines for testing suspected Covid deaths

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has directed all hospitals to take nasal swab samples from dead bodies of suspected coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, to test for the virus, in a detailed autopsy guideline for patients.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has directed all hospitals to take nasal swab samples from dead bodies of suspected coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, to test for the virus, in a detailed autopsy guideline for patients.

The research body stated that bodies must not be released from the mortuaries, in case Covid-19 test results are awaited. (Reuters file photo)

“Collect Nasopharyngeal swab at the emergency department/casualty/ward/ICU and should be sent for Covid-19 RT-PCR test in all Suspected cases before moving the body to mortuary for preservation if the same was not sent in due hospital course,” state the guidelines that were released on Tuesday.

The research body stated that bodies must not be released from the mortuaries, in case Covid-19 test results are awaited.

As the disease is highly contagious, and the staff conducting the autopsy run the risk of contracting the infection, ICMR, in its guidelines, has also directed to treat death in hospital or under medical care due to Covid-19 as a NonMedicolegal case that doesn’t require a medico-legal autopsy and the required certification of death can be done by treating doctors.

“The doctors, mortuary technicians and other mortuary staffs in mortuary performing autopsy are exposed to potentially high and dangerous health risks due to coming in direct contact with infected organs, fluids and secretions, even after taking the highest precautions. Hence, non-invasive autopsy technique should be adopted for forensic autopsy,” the directive stated.

Since asymptomatic cases and patients in incubation period may not meet the diagnostic criteria for suspected cases, doctors should go by the possible epidemiological history.

“…all dead bodies without reliable clinical/ epidemiological history and all unidentified dead bodies should be treated as suspected Covid-19 deaths. Cases with negative swab results also should be treated as suspected Covid-19 deaths as false negative result is not uncommon,” the guidelines stated.

There should either be a separate mortuary or a place earmarked for preservation of bodies of unconfirmed Covid-19 cases, as per the guidelines.