Why non-infected patients are declared Covid-19 positive posthumously?

 

 

Srinagar,30 june: As deaths due to Covid-19 infection crossed 100 mark today in Jammu and Kashmir, the data reveals most of the deceased were declared Covid-19 positive posthumously. This trend has shaken the confidence of people among health professionals as people are wondering why almost every deceased especially in Valley turns Covid-19 positive. These include the young people and even those who sustained injuries in road accidents.

In Handwara, a young boy was allegedly attacked with axe, received head injuries, died at SMHS Hospital, but declared Covid-19 positive after the death. The news came as a shock to the family who said that the cause of death may give relief to those responsible for the death of the boy.

Another glaring example is the death of a 24 year old youth from South Kashmir’s Shopian district who suffered injuries in a fatal road accident and died in the hospital but doctors declared him Covid-19 positive.

As reported earlier on 27 June three persons including father-son duo from South Kashmir’s Shopian district were critically injured after their car collided with a Tipper on Srinagar-Jammu highway near Pampore. One among the three died on way to hospital while injured Abrar died today and was declared Covid-19 positive. Family alleged negligence saying no neuro-surgeon was available in the hospital to take care of Abrar. “Doctors closed the chapter and to evade questioning, they declared the young man Covid-19 positive,” said a relative of Abrar to news agency KNT.

The data reveals that most of the deaths occurred in SMHS Hospital. Though patients were non-Covid, when admitted in the hospital, but posthumously tested positive for Coronavirus infection. SMHS Hospital is a non-Covid hospital. “It is irony that non-covid patients are being declared Covid positive after their death in a non-Covid hospital,” said an attendant of a patient.

A medico said that since SMHS Hospital is not a Covid-19 designated hospital like CD, JVC or SKIMS so may be the hospital administration is not taking utmost precautions.

Doctors Association Kashmir President Dr Nisar-ul-Hasan believes that every hospital in Valley is infected. He told Kashmir News Trust that there are great chances of gadgetry, beds, ICU’s are being infected with Covid-19 in every hospital. Chances are, even young men can catch infection when admitted in the hospital and I think same happens with those young people who die of road accidents or any other ailments and turn positive for Covid-19 infection just because hospitals carry this lethal infection.

“Hospitals have become active agents of this infection and we should take utmost precautions,” Dr Nisar said.

A medico on condition of anonymity demanded the constitution of ‘Empowered Death Audit Committee’ who could see the actual cause of death. He said that in many cases, Covid-19 may be one of the factors of the death, while the bigger cause may be something else. “It’s important to form this Committee before issuing Death Certificates,” he said. (KNT)