Loading ...WHO 2020 guidelines: “RECORDING COVID-19 ON THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF CAUSE OF DEATH”
2. DEFINITION FOR DEATHS DUE TO COVID-19
A death due to COVID-19 is defined for surveillance purposes as a death resulting from a clinically
compatible illness, in a probable or confirmed COVID-19 case, unless there is a clear alternative
cause of death that cannot be related to COVID disease (e.g. trauma). There should be no period of
complete recovery from COVID-19 between illness and death.
A death due to COVID-19 may not be attributed to another disease (e.g. cancer) and should be
counted independently of preexisting conditions that are suspected of triggering a severe course of
COVID-19.
A- RECORDING COVID-19 ON THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF CAUSE OF DEATH
COVID-19 should be recorded on the medical certificate of cause of death for ALL decedents where
the disease caused, or is assumed to have caused, or contributed to death.
B- TERMINOLOGY
The use of official terminology, COVID-19, should be used for all certification of this cause of death.
As there are many types of coronaviruses, it is recommended not to use “coronavirus” in place of
COVID-19. This helps to reduce uncertainty for the classification or coding and to correctly monitor
these deaths