Doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital oversaw the funeral after crematorium staff reached out to authorities, seeking directives to ensure the infection did not spread. (Representational Image)
The last rites of a 68-year-old woman who died in RML Hospital Friday after testing positive for coronavirus were performed Saturday at the CNG crematorium at Nigambodh Ghat under the supervision of medical authorities. However, this was after the woman’s family was initially told by authorities at the ghat to go to Lodhi Road electric crematorium instead.
The Union Health Ministry then intervened to ensure the final rites were performed smoothly. Doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital oversaw the funeral after crematorium staff reached out to authorities, seeking directives to ensure the infection did not spread.
Officials said the Nigambodh Ghat Sanchalan Samiti, which manages operations at the crematorium, delayed the last rites by a few hours and approached municipal authorities to seek directives in view of the coronavirus outbreak. “The situation is sensitive across the world. We had to seek instructions first from MCD and medical authorities. They said the cremation will be done using CNG, and officials came to supervise the process,” a Samiti official said.
AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria said there is no problem in cremating the body of a coronavirus victim. “There is no risk of transmission in cremating a body. It spreads through droplets, like if someone coughs. People can cremate the body by any means; this is just a panic reaction.”
On the recommendations of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the AIIMS has drafted the guidelines for carrying out the autopsies of those who have been infected with Covid-19.
Laying down the rules for transporting the body, the institute has stated that the deceased must be placed in a body bag immediately after death. “Ensure that the body is fully sealed in an impermeable body bag before being removed from the isolation room or area, and before being transferred to the mortuary, to avoid leakage of body fluid. Then transfer the body to the mortuary as soon as possible after death,” said Dr Sudhir Gupta, head of forensic medicine at AIIMS.
When properly packed in the body bag, the body can be safely removed for storage in the mortuary, sent to the crematorium, or placed in a coffin for burial
The woman, a resident of West Delhi, died Friday evening due to comorbidity (diabetes and hypertension), the ministry said, adding she had tested positive for Covid-19, following which she was admitted to the RML Hospital.
Doctors said her sample was collected on March 8 and her condition worsened on March 9 with the development of pneumonia, and she was shifted to the ICU. Her sample also tested positive for Covid-19. Since then, she was having respiratory fluctuations and was provided ventilatory support.
Officials said she had history of contact with her son, who had travelled to Switzerland and Italy between February 5 and 22. The son had returned to India on February 23. The health department has traced 813 contacts of her son and 14 people who were in contact with her so far.