COVID-19 positive or suspected dead bodies to be cremated/burial within 24 hrs: Delhi Disaster Management

In fresh guidelines issued by the Delhi Disaster and Management Authority, it is mandatory to cremate or burial of the COVID-10 infected or suspected dead bodies within 24 hours. The hospital authority has to inform the concerned relatives and the area in charge within 2 hours of the death.

New Delhi:The Delhi Disaster and Management Authority (DDMA) has directed all district magistrates to ensure the proper cremation or burial of the coronavirus patients or suspected patients.

In the fresh guidelines issued by the DDMA, the hospitals must send the dead bodies to the mortuary within 2 hours. Also, it has made compulsory to bury the dead bodies within 24 hours of death.

• In the event of the death of a COVID positive/suspect person at the Hospital or if brought dead at the hospital, the Hospital shall send the dead body to the mortuary within 2 hours.
• If family/relatives are contacting the mortuary themselves within 12 hours of death, the Hospital shall schedule cremation/burial in consultation with the family/relatives and concerned Municipal Body within the next 24 hours.
• If family/relatives are not contacting the mortuary themselves within 12 hours of death, intimation to the family/relative shall be sent through area SHO with date, time and place of cremation/burial in consultation with concerned Municipal Body to enable family/relatives to attend the funeral. The delivery of the intimation shall be ensured by the area SHO within 12 hours of receipt of the message from the Hospital
• The Hospital must fix date and time in such a way that an effective notice of at least 24 hours is available to the family/relatives
• In case of unidentified abandoned dead bodies of COVID positive/suspect person, Delhi Police shall complete all legal formalities within 72 hours of death and shall dispose the dead body 1n next 24 hours as per the protocol.
• If the address of COVID positive/suspect persons is outside Delhi, Medical Director shall send a notice to Resident Commissioner of the concerned State/UT for communicating back within 48 hours. If no reply is received, it shall be cremated by the Hospital in the next 24 hours.
• The responsibility of timely disposal of dead bodies of COVID positive/ suspect who died at the hospital or are brought dead at the hospital shall be of Medical Director or Director of the hospital.

The guidelines also said that the violation of the norms will ensure the suffering of the concerned person or the district magistrate.