THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A new set of guidelines has been issued for the determination of Covid deaths in the state, Health Minister Veena George said on Thursday. The new guidelines are based on the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Health and the ICMR on the recommendation of the Supreme Court.

"The guidelines have been prepared in such a way that the relatives of those who die of Covid can obtain death certificates without any inconvenience. The guidelines are aimed to provide benefits to all those who are eligible," the minister said.

Covid Death Assessment Committees (CDAC) will be formed in all the districts of the state. The CDAC will comprise Additional District Magistrate (additional district collector), District Medical Officer, Additional District Medical Officer / District Surveillance Medical Officer (COVID), head of the Department of Medicine from a medical college in the district (if there is no medical college in the district, the DSO (Non-COVID) will be considered) and head of communicable diseases department or a public health expert.

The e-health death info website (https://covid19.kerala.gov.in/deathinfo/) has been set up for information on Covid deaths. The names of those who died of Covid will be available on this website. Members of those not included on the list may apply online.

Corrections can also be made on the official Covid death document issued by the health department. The updations will be made online. The new system will come into effect from October 10.

Close relatives of Covid victims, who received the death certificate earlier, can also apply for the new Covid death certificate if required. They need to provide the death registration number obtained from the local bodies online.