Reportedly after reports of mortuary and medical staff testing positive for the novel coronavirus in ludhiana and a few more similar reports, the indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) issued new guidelines which say deaths in hospitals 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 the treating doctors.

Invasive technique should not be adopted for forensic autopsy in corona death cases as mortuary staff is exposed to potentially dangerous health risks due to organ fluids and secretions even after taking the highest precautions, the ICMR said. The 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 personnel and all the people in the chain of dead body disposal." After multiple reports from different hospitals in handling related to Covid-19 deaths, the process of postmortem and burial was released earlier by the health ministry.

But the new guidelines are imminent after Covid-related deaths have gone up along with the chances of infection from the body to mortuary staff, doctors, and police personnel. As per these guidelines, the bodies of suspected Covid-19 patients, which are brought to hospital, may be labelled as medicolegal cases by the doctor in emergency and it will be sent to mortuary and police will be informed, which may necessitate a medico-legal autopsy for clarity in the cause of death.The forensic autopsy of these cases may be waived off," the guidelines said. The deceased may be Corona confirmed or suspected. If the patient dies in hospital, clinical records may be sent along with the body for forensic autopsy. At no time, more than two relatives must be present near the body and they must maintain a distance of at least one metre from the body. The body must be identified through the plastic bag, without opening the bag.