Centre Files Affidavit In SC On Issue Of Covid-19 Death Certificates. Check Latest Guidelines

Deaths resulting due to poisoning, suicide, homicide and deaths because of accident will not be considered as Covid-19 deaths, even if Covid-19 is an accompanying condition, the guidelines mentioned.

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New Delhi: In response to the Supreme Court order on Covid-19 death certificates, the government submitted a detailed affidavit that mentioned guidelines regarding the issue of such death certificates. On September 3, the top court had granted 10 more days to the Centre to frame and formulate uniform guidelines for issuance of death certificates with regard to those who succumbed to Covid-19.

The Supreme Court direction came during hearing of the petition filed by lawyer-cum-petitioner, Gaurav Kumar Bansal, seeking an ex-gratia compensation for those family members, who died due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to news agency ANI.

The apex court fixed the matter for further hearing on Monday.

 What are the guidelines for Covid-19 death certificates?

Deaths resulting due to poisoning, suicide, homicide and deaths because of accident, among others, will not be considered as Covid-19 deaths, even if Covid-19 is an accompanying condition, the Centre mentioned in the affidavit.

According to the guidelines those cases will be considered which are diagnosed through a positive RT-PCR/ Molecular Tests/ RAT or clinically determined through investigations in a hospital/ in-patient facility by a treating physician, while admitted in the hospital/ in-patient facility.

Patients who have "died either in hospital settings or at home, and where a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) in Form 4 and 4 A has been issued to the registering authority as required under Section 10 of the Registration of Birth and Death (RBD) Act, 1969, will be treated as a COVID-19 death," the guidelines stated.

"However, a Covid-19 patient, while admitted at a hospital or in-patient facility, and who continued as the same admission beyond 30 days, and died subsequently, shall be treated as a Covid-19 death," it added.

The affidavit also provided a solution to the family members of the deceased who died due to Covid-19 for correction of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death/Official Document issued by the appropriate authority. It mentioned the procedures to be followed by the committee set up to address such concerns, which includes the family members submitting a petition to the district collector for the issuance of the document.

Relevant officers in States/ UTs have also been trained on the correct recording of deaths related to COVID-19, the affidavit filed by the Centre before the Supreme Court stated.