The Odisha government has instructed all the hospitals not to conduct COVID tests on dead bodies. The government said that this move is to avoid any delay regarding release of the body to their relatives. However, doctors fear that this move will not display a true picture of the total number of COVID deaths.

On Tuesday evening, an order was issued by additional chief secretary (health) to all the hospitals, stating that COVID-19 test after death should not be conducted to avoid unnecessary delay in release of body and also avoid harassment to the grieving family.

The doctors fear that many patients reach hospital in critical condition or might be brought dead and then won’t be detected for COVID-19. Dr R K Purohit, a gynaecologist said that such deaths won’t be counted as COVID deaths, which will result in gross underestimate of deaths during the pandemic.

Officially, Odisha’s COVID death rate is at 0.4% which is among the lowest in the country. A total number of 721 patients have died due to COVID-19 from the 1.88 lakh positive patients. The government has attributed 53 deaths of other COVID patients due to comorbidities.

Source: ET Healthworld