KOZHIKODE: Evoking morbid memories of the deadly Nipah virus outbreak, Kozhikode Corporation Health Officer RS Gopakumar supervised the burial of the first Covid-19 victim in the district at Kannanparamba Cemetery, the burial ground of the Muslim community, on Friday.
It was the body of a four-month-old child from Manjeri in neighbouring Malappuram district which was buried here. Because of the protocol of handling bodies of Covid victims, the baby’s body was not handed over to relatives. Gopakumar was accompanied by four others from his department, including health inspector C K Valsan, junior health inspector Shameer and two ambulance drivers.
After the father of the baby was tested negative for Covid-19 at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital, he was allowed to witness the burial. The team wore personal protective gear, goggles and two layers of gloves while handling the body. Detailing the procedure, Gopakumar said, “The procedures that we carried out during the burial of the Nipah patients in Kozhikode were followed during the burial of the baby girl here.”