Delhi COVID-19 victim cremated under medical supervision, after some delay

The mortal remains of a 68-year-old woman, who died after testing positive for coronavirus, were consigned to flames on Saturday but there was some delay as the crematorium reached out to authorities seeking clarity on handling of the body.

She was finally cremated around 1.30 pm at the Nigam Bodh Ghat's CNG crematorium in presence of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital and from MCD, said Suman Gupta of the Nigam Bodh Ghat Sanchalan Samiti.

Dr. Ashok Rawat, the Municipal Health Officer (MHO) of the north Delhi municipal body, said as the body was brought to the crematorium around 10.30 am, the staff got spooked due as people accompanying it were in Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits.

The crematorium then alerted the health authorities.

"We were caught unawares. Had the RML or the Health Ministry informed us that the body will be cremated at the Nigam Bodh Ghat, we would have remain prepared and sensitised the staff," Rawat said.

He added that by Monday, the north MCD will come up with guidelines on handling of bodies in such cases. The Ministry of Health and Family and Welfare is also framing similar guidelines.

Gupta said the situation is sensitive across the world and this was first coronavirus death in the national capital. Delhi has reported seven coronavirus cases so far.

"We had to seek instructions first from MCD and medical authorities. They said the cremation will be done using CNG and the officials came to supervise the process," Gupta said.

A senior doctor with Delhi's Directorate of Health Services said since the virus needs a live cell to survive, there are very little chances that infection can spread during cremation. However, caution must be exercised while handling the body in such cases.

The woman, a resident of west Delhi, was the second casualty due to coronavirus on Friday. On Thursday, a 76-year-old man, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, in Karnataka.

Her death was caused due to co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), the health ministry said, adding she had tested positive for COVID-19 following which she was admitted to the RML hospital.