HYDERABAD: Taking cognizance of the sudden surge in new COVID-19 cases in the state again, the Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the state government to conduct coronavirus tests even on dead bodies. This key direction from the high court seeks to reverse the state government stands on the issue so far. The Telangana government in the recent past has issued an advisory stating that there is no need for conducting COVID-19 tests or collecting samples from dead bodies.

Challenging the state government’s stand, Telangana Jana Samiti vice-president and civil liberties activist Prof. P L Vishweshwar Rao filed public interest litigation (PIL) in the Telangana High Court.
While taking up the PIL for hearing, the high court on Thursday issued directions to the state government to this effect. Petitioner’s counsel Chikkudu Prabhakar, while presenting his arguments before the high court, contended that the state would run the risk of reaching the third stage of Coronavirus transmission if bodies of all those who are dying in the state are not subjected to COVID-19 testing. To buttress his contention, he cited the instances of doctors in several states turning out to be virus positive in tests only after their death. Concurring with his views, the Telangana High Court expressed its displeasure over the COVID-19 report that the state government had submitted to it.

It asked the state government to follow in letter and spirit the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and several other agencies. The high court also sought to know the measures being implemented by the Central government to arrest the coronavirus pandemic. The high court adjourned the matter for further hearing to May 26th asking the state government to submit a detailed report before the next hearing.

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