Health department redefines Covid deaths

Tribune News Service
Patiala, April 19

Amid rising Covid-19 deaths in the district, the Health Department once again had to issue directions not to include deaths caused by other ailments in the covid list despite the deceased being corona positive.

There were also reports that deaths caused by other ailments were being included in the list of Covid deaths, if the diseased happened to be Covid positive. Consequent upon that, the department said where there were clear alternative causes of death, it couldn’t be attributed to Covid-19.

The department said Covid positive patients, who died of accidental trauma, poisoning, acute myocardial infarction etc, couldn’t be listed in the list of Covid-19 deaths because the cause of death was not Covid evidently.

However, sources informed that sudden rise of Covid-19 deaths in the district had prompted the Health Department to issue the said directions. The sources further informed that many people, who were getting treated at hospitals for acute diseases other than coronavirus, had contracted the virus during treatment, which led to increase in deaths.

Meanwhile, Patiala Civil Surgeon Dr Satinder said even roadside accidental deaths were found Covid-19 positive and listed under Covid deaths. “If a Covid positive person dies in a road accident, that cannot be categorised as Covid death. We have set up a committee of experts to declare non-COVID deaths,” he said.

Patiala on Monday reported seven Covid deaths, taking the death count in the district to 681.