People dying with symptoms will be treated as Covid-19 positive

Covid-19 is going beyond the living to irrevocably change the way the dead are treated in the city.

If someone dies, the family must get a cause of death certificate from a general practitioner to give to the crematorium and get the last rites done.

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That is no longer the case from July 31 because local authorities want to ensure the dead do not have even the mildest of Covid-19 symptoms. So, they have asked the families to approach the medical officers at the zonal level or at the primary health centre to assess the clinical history and get a swab test within six hours of the death.

The officials will then guide them to the nearest burial ground or one of the four crematoriums reserved for Covid-19 patients and suspects. If the deceased had suspected Covid-19 symptoms like Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) or Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI), they will be treated as a potential Covid-19 patient. Therefore, the norms followed for Covid-19 deaths will apply, which means family members are banned from attending the burial/cremation.

“Wherever there are Covid-like symptoms like cough, cold, fever, and breathlessness, a rapid antigen test is done by the medical officer of the primary health centre or of the zone,” explained BBMP special commissioner D Randeep.

“Before the pandemic, a general practitioner would certify the cause of death, but they are not doing it now. This does not mean all deaths require an antigen test. This is required for those who showed Covid-like symptoms,” he added.

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In the absence of rapid antigen test kits, a throat swab can be taken in viral transport medium and the bodies can be allowed for cremation. Bodies should not be withheld for want of test results.

“If it is antigen-negative and the doctor is relatively satisfied that this could not have been a Covid-19 death, then he is free to allow the relatives to conduct the final rites,” Randeep said. “But, despite an antigen-negative, if the doctor feels a confirmatory RTPCR is required and there is a good chance that the patient is Covid-19 positive, all protocols applied for Covid-19 deaths would apply.”

The local health inspector is expected to report the death to the ward office, which in turn would refer it to the medical officer. “The medical officer must work with whatever clinical history the family gives him. He can guide them to one of the four (reserved) crematoriums. If they wish to bury the dead, Covid-19 burial grounds are also available,” the special commissioner said.

The burial will happen in the presence of one medical officer and no family members should be present.