Disposal of bodies can't be kept pending for want of Covid report: State govt

Kolkata: The state Health department has made it clear that under no circumstances disposal of bodies should be kept pending for want of Covid report and should be disposed of following the pandemic protocols.

The existing Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) already states that a body of a Covid positive person may be handed over to the kin of the deceased persons, provided they follow certain precautions. The revised SOP stated that the kin of the dead may take the body to the identified crematorium/burial ground near the place of death or if they like so, may take the body to the native place or own locality of the deceased, but in this case, the body has to be taken straight to the identified crematorium/burial ground of that locality and not to anywhere else, with prior intimation to the nodal officer of the concerned urban local body/block for cremation/burial of Covid bodies. The list of nodal offices is available on www.wbhealth.gov.in>>Covid guidelines.

The SOPs further direct that in case a patient is brought to a hospital in a moribund condition, treatment should start and the rapid test should be done immediately to know the Covid status so that in case of death, certificates can be issued at the earliest and the body may be disposed of accordingly.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, in its efforts to augment its infrastructure for quick disposal of Covid bodies, has identified land near Basanti Highway where it will soon come up with a temporary burial ground. A tender has been floated for setting up a crematorium at Bhatchala but the process will take at least six months.