Forensic science is an amalgam of different traits. Forensic virology is the branch of Forensic science. Forensic Virology is the systematic and scientific study of viruses for the purpose of justice or legal investigation [1].

COVID-19 or Corona virus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by a recently discovered coronavirus (nCoV, n=novel, CoV= Corona Virus) [2].

COVID-19 name is given by the World Health Organization (WHO) on February 11, 2020 [3]. Coronavirus is belongs from virus family Coronaviridae, order Nidovirales [4]. Coronavirus disease was first described in 1931 [5].

 Role of Forensic Science: – We know that Forensic science is the scientific study of various aspects of science for the purpose of justice, the role of forensic science in a pandemic are-

Forensic Pathology: – Forensic pathology is the field of forensic science that coordinates legal system and medicine to determine the cause, mechanism, manner and time of a person’s death.

During this pandemic situation, forensic pathologists are heavily involved in managing the crisis, either within their local communities or as a part of a humanitarian mission working with vulnerable communities abroad.

The role of forensic pathologists in these pandemic days to ensure the proper management of dead bodies and minimizing the spread of the Coronavirus.

The Coronavirus is highly spreadable and infectious, the postmortem procedure, release of body and safe burial is as well as possible, smoothly and properly.

 Forensic virology: – Viruses are small infectious agent that can replicate only in the living cells of an organism. This is a challenge for Forensics to solve this puzzle that the novel coronavirus is a bioweapon or not.

 Forensic psychology: – After the infection there are several changes seen in the human body, so the psychological changes also may be the change.

 The psychology of doctors and nurses are playing an important role during the treatment of patients.

 Locard’s Physical exchange: – The novel coronavirus spreads from one place to another by physical contact.

Some peoples are intentionally spreading the virus by spitting or touching. In this situation Forensic science and Police officers have great challenge for identifying to these types of disloyal people.

Cyber Forensic: – In these pandemic days there are many cases of rumours and fake news are registered, these cases are solved by cyber forensic.

Finally, Forensic science is continuously doing his job in these pandemic days for our nation in proper manner and I hope that “CORONA HAREGA, BHARAT JITEGA”.

Reference:-

1.     M. Chiden, T. Sowmyya, Role of forensic virology in crime investigation, 2015.

2.     https://www.who.int. (Access 10:04:2020).

3.     https://www.goodrx.com/blog/what-does-covid-19-mean-who-named-it/ (Access 11:04:2020).

4.     S.M. Peiris, Medical microbiology, (18th edition).

5.    Stephen N.J., Korsman, Human coronavirus, 2012.

Author: Kunwar Veer Vikram Srivastav

Kunwar Veer Vikram Srivastav is a student of Master of Forensic Science (2018-2020) at Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Institute of Forensic Science and Criminology, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, U.P. His Specialization is forensic biology and serology. He lives at Dumariyaganj (272189), Siddharthnagar, (U.P.). He got II Best Poster Presentation Award in National Conference on The Role of Science and Technology in Crime Prevention at Sagar (M.P.). He has done Winter Training Program on Advanced Agro Pharma Biotechnology Research Equipment at Innovation Centre, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi. He is intern at Department of Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation, Legal Desire Media and Insights.