National Assembly Accepts Bill to Not Autopsy Citizens Who Died from Coronavirus in First Reading

The National Assembly accepted in the first reading a bill presented by the Government regarding amendments to the Law on Medical Assistance and Services to the Population, which proposes not to perform autopsies on citizens who died as a result of the coronavirus.

The Government's proposal is based on the fact that organizations providing pathological-anatomical services in Armenia do not have the necessary conditions to conduct autopsies on individuals who died from the coronavirus, and do not meet the international requirements set for this purpose.

Furthermore, it is still unknown how long the coronavirus remains viable and whether the virus can be transmitted from the deceased, thus indicating that autopsies could potentially lead to further spread of the infection.

The Government proposes that in cases of death due to coronavirus, autopsies should not be conducted according to medical documentation, in order to prevent the further and widespread transmission of the infection.