Furnish guidelines of WHO to test blood samples of dead person for Covid-19: High Court

Hearing on a Writ Petition through video conference on Monday filed by retired Prof. Vishveshwar Rao, the CJ bench directed the petitioner to furnish the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation, which specifically mandates the medical staff to test the blood samples of a dead person for Covid-19 to avert the further spread of coronavirus.

The petitioner's counsel sought a direction to suspend the proceedings of the Director, State Medical and Health Department, who had restrained the medical staff from taking blood samples from the dead bodies and testing them for Covid-19.

The Petitioner's counsel Chikkudu Prabhakar informed the Bench that if the blood sample of a dead body comes out to be positive, then the family members, friends and others with whom, the person had met, will be prone to Covid 19 and then there will be a spread of corona cases in the State.

Though, Chief Justice Chauhan pointed out and asked Advocate General BS Prasad to inform the logic behind the State government's stand in not taking blood samples from the dead bodies.

Further, during the adjudication, CJ insisted upon the furnishing of the WHO guidelines, which mandates the health officials to perform blood tests on dead bodies.

The bench directed the petitioner's counsel three days time to furnish the World Health Organisation's guidelines and adjourned the case to May 18.