Death occurring within 30 days from the date of testing or from the date of being clinically determined as COVID-19 case is treated as ‘death due to COVID-19’, even if death takes place outside the hospital/in-patient facility.
However, a COVID-19 case, while admitted in the hospital/in-patient facility, and who continued as the same admission beyond 30 days, and died subsequently will also be treated as COVID-19 death.
Deaths occurring due to poisoning, suicide, homicide and accident are not considered as COVID-19 deaths even if COVID-19 is an accompanying condition.
As per the existing data maintained, there were total 820 deaths of UT Chandigarh residents due to COVID-19. In last few months, an exercise has been undertaken by the Health Department to reconcile the figure of COVID19 deaths with the record maintained at the cremation ground. During the process of reconciliation, it has been observed that there was a mismatch of 359 deaths. On further investigation from the records of the Hospitals and details/documents collected from the family members of the deceased persons it was observed that:
256 deaths recorded at the cremation ground were the deaths due to COVID-19 in accordance with the existing guidelines. 22 deaths are mentioned as COVID-19 deaths as per the record at cremation ground but there is no document about COVID-19 positivity etc. 81 deaths are mentioned as COVID-19 deaths as per the record at cremation ground either relates to residents of other States or their address are incorrect or could not be traced..
