Bodies of suspected Covid cases can be disposed of without waiting for swab report: CM

Kolkata: The state government has allowed disposal of the mortal remains of a person suspected to have died due to COVID-19, following the ICMR guidelines, without waiting for 10 to 12 hours to get the swab sample test report.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: "The move has been taken on humanitarian ground."

While explaining the same, Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said: "As per ICMR protocol there is no difference in the norms of disposal of the dead body of a COVID-19 patient with that of a person who is suspected to have died due to COVID-19. The problem is that it takes 10 to 12 hours to get a swab sample test report of a person who is suspected to have died due to COVID-19 and the body was not disposed of for last rites till the report comes. Now we are saying that there is nothing to wait and to dispose of the dead bodies of a suspected patient as per the set ICMR norms without waiting for the report."

The state government had earlier allowed family members of a deceased COVID-19 patient to see the mortal remains before the last rites are performed and it had become possible with introduction of the new standard operating procedure in terms of disposal of dead bodies of COVID-19 patients. The hospital authorities inform the family members within one hour of the death of a COVID-19 patient, whose body is wrapped in a special cover that will be fitted with a transparent plastic shield up to the chest. Deceased's family members can see his or her face before last rites are performed with the use of the new body cover.