Hyderabad, Apr 21 (IANS): Health authorities in Telangana have decided not to take samples from the bodies of those suspected to have died with symptoms of COVID-19.

Director of Public Health Srinivas Rao has directed all health officials in the districts not to collect samples from dead bodies but treat all such cases as deemed to be positive.

However, family members and contacts of all such deceased persons will be quarantined and tested for COVID-19. If any of them tests positive, the death will be recorded as death due to COVID-19.

The Health Department is also in the process of arranging a special vehicle to collect samples from the suspected cases at their homes. If the samples are positive, the patients will be shifted to hospitals.

So far, the healthcare personnel were taking samples from dead bodies of those suspected to have died with COVID-19 symptoms.

The death toll in Telangana due to COVID-19 stands at 23. The state has reported a total of 872 positive cases.