Digital post-mortems to be carried out in Walsall
Walsall Council has entered into a five-month agreement with a company to use digital technology to carry out post-mortems.
The council will work with London-based company iGene to use the 21st century digital technology.
A digital autopsy allows a non-invasive post-mortem to be carried out using computerised tomography (CT) images.
Councillor Garry Perry, Walsall Council's cabinet member for community, leisure and culture, said: "I am very pleased to confirm that Walsall will be helping to tackle Covid-19 by using digital autopsies.
"They create a cross-sectional image for a virtual exploration of the human body. In approximately 70 per cent of cases it can help identify the cause of death without having to use invasive autopsies.
"The technology has the added benefit of being able to identify the cause of death much quicker."
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The digital autopsies are undertaken at the Sandwell Valley Crematorium, where iGene's CT equipment is based. iGene will receive all bodies deemed suitable for a digital autopsy as the first line of intervention.
Walsall joins Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton in using this technology.
Councillor Perry added: "At a time of this national emergency we must do everything possible to keep the NHS safe and save lives.
"Using digital autopsies will help us achieve this."
The initial agreement will run from Monday 27 April to Wednesday 30 September 2020 when it will be reviewed.
