Odisha discourages COVID-19 test after death

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has discouraged COVID-19 test after death of patients at hospitals to avoid undue delay in release of body and prevent harassment to the bereaved family, an order of the Health Department said.

The move of the state government comes following many incidents of relatives/neighbours abstaining from attending funerals and last rites of those testing positive for COVID-19 after death.

The department has further directed all hospitals in the state treating COVID patients to submit the death report along with the copy of the bedhead tickets, investigation reports and COVID test status to the Director of Health Services, Odisha ([email protected]) within 48 hours of death for the purpose of state-level death audit. All deaths of COVID positive patients are audited at state-level to determine the cause of death.

All hospitals have also been directed to record all the pre-existing diseases with signs and symptoms at the time of admission along with the related investigation reports and to submit them to the State Level Committee accompanied with the name and contact number of the treating physician.