HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court, on Thursday, directed the State government to strictly follow the guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) with regard to appropriate recording of COVID-19 -related deaths in the State.
“When a person dies in a hospital, the hospital authorities will certify the cause of death. But who will certify the cause of death when a person dies at home. It needs to be verified so that the deceased person’s family members and others who came in contact with such a person can live safely knowing that they have not been infected by COVID-19 .
As of now, conduct tests as per the ICMR guidelines”, the bench observed. The bench of Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice K Lakshman passed this order, via video conferencing, after hearing two PILs, one filed by Prof PL Vishweshwar Rao, the vicepresident of Telangana Jana Samithi, and another taken up based on a letter addressed to the court by Dr KP Rajender Kumar, a retired district medical and health officer of Jogulamba Gadwal district, challenging the orders issued by the State commissioner and director of medical and health to not collect samples from dead bodies for COVID-19 -19 tests. The matter was posted to May 26 for filing counter affidavit by the State government.