Bhubaneswar : The State Government has amended the guidelines for disposal of the dead body of the suspect or confirmed case of COVID-19. The guidelines were issued in reference to reduce the trauma faced by the grieving families so that there is no delay in conducting the last rites.
The official letter was addressed to all the district Collector and District Magistrates, all Municipal Commissioners, Superintendents of all medical colleges and hospitals and to all Chief District Medical and Public Health Officers.
The letter says, “In few cases, persons with COVID-19 symptoms under treatment/quarantine die before their swab can be tested for COVID-19.”
“It is clarified that as we are in the midst of a global pandemic, as a measure of abundant precaution, in all such cases the dead body may be disposed of as per COVID norms, in compassionate consultation with the family of the deceased,” the letter issued by Additional Chief Secretary of Health Department PK Mohapatra said.
Previously on July 25, the Odisha Government had relaxed the norms on management of dead bodies COVID-19 suspect or confirmed cases by allowing the kin of the deceased.