Protocol for Handling of COVID-19 Related Deaths

A retrospective and purposive study was conducted to determine the status of implementation of the less than 12-hour protocol of COVID-19 dead bodies from death to disposition or burial. Among the 485 deaths both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related deaths for 2020 (Apr-Dec), the majority were adults (43%) and 59% were male. Similarly, 2021 (Jan-May) has the same trend with 44% adults of which 61% were male. In terms of area in the hospital, the majority of deaths were from Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) ward for 2020 (34.64%) and in 2021 (33.63%). There were 92 deaths swabbed for RT-PCR among the 104 (21.44%) COVID-19 related deaths for 2020 while there were 97 deaths swabbed for RT-PCR among the 101 COVID-19 related deaths for 2021. Regardless of compliant to the 12-hour protocol, the mean time (hours) of stay in the hospital of all swabbed COVID-19 related deaths in 2020 was significantly longer (13 hr and 25 min) compared to 2021 (6 hr and 40 min) (t-test=3.656, SD=1.874, alpha=0.05). Among the swabbed COVID-19 related deaths that stayed less than12-hours, there was no significant difference between the mean time of hospital stay from 2020 (5 hr and 49 min) to 2021 (4 hr and 58 min) (t-test=0.437, SD=1.549, alpha=0.05). Also, there was no significant difference between two study periods for swabbed COVID-19 related deaths that stayed more than 12-hours. The mean time for all 2020 deaths (COVID-19 or non-COVID related deaths) was significantly longer (9 hr and 35 min) compared to the deaths where no swabbing was done (5 hr and 50 min) [t-test=8.839, alpha=0.05), but significantly shorter than the 12-hour limit for the WHO protocol for managing the COVID-19 related deaths. The implementation of Cadaver Release Form (CRF) significantly helped in the implementation of the less than12-hour protocol for handling the COVID-19 related deaths in the hospital.