Do not carry out test for COVID-19 after death: Health Ministry

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population has instructed the concerned health officials to not carry out COVID-19 tests after the death.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health, Dr Jageshwor Gautam instructed the health officials not to extract sample from the dead body for tests.

He said there was no need to test for coronavirus infection, even if the deceased is suspected for having coronavirus.

It should be noted that as many as 379 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed posthumously with swabs taken after death of the patients with coronavirus-like symptoms, and showing positive result later.

Speaking at the regular press briefing, Dr Gautam informed that the meeting of the ‘Incident Command’ system has decided that now onwards the sample of the decease should not be tested for COVID-19.

“In case of suspicious death, care should be taken while managing the corpse and arrangements should be made to keep those who come in contact with them in mandatory quarantine but samples should not be taken from the corpse for testing,” he said.

The ministry said it had received information that the tests were being carried out even after the death of a person.