I nvasive technique should not be adopted for forensic autopsy in novel coronavirus death cases as mortuary staff are exposed to potentially dangerous health risks due to organ fluids and secretions even after taking the highest precautions, the ICMR has said.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in its ‘Standard Guidelines for Medico-legal autopsy in Covid-19 deaths in India’, said, “It will prevent the spread of infection to doctors, mortuary staff, police persons and all the people in chain of dead body disposal.”
According to the guidelines, the deaths in hospital and under medical care due to coronavirus infection is a non-MLC case and doesn’t require postmortem examination and the required certification of death will be done by treating doctors.
Bodies of suspected Covid-19 patients, which are brought to hospital, may be labelled as medico legal cases by the doctor in emergency and it will be sent to mortuary and police will be informed, which may necessitate a medicolegal autopsy for clarity in the cause of death.
“The forensic autopsy of these cases may be waived off,” the guidelines said.
In some homicidal, accidental or suicidal death cases, the deceased may be COVID-19 confirmed or suspected. If the patient dies in hospital, the clinical records and all other relevant documents may be sent along with the body for forensic autopsy.
After the inquest procedure, if any crime is not suspected, police have the authority to waive off conduction of medico-legal autopsy, even though labelled as medico-legal case.
“The investigating police officer must proactively take steps to waive off unnecessary autopsies during such pandemic situation,” the guidelines said.
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