CUTTACK: IN yet another incident of gross violation of Covid safety protocols, a private hospital at Cuttack handed over of body a patient suspected to have been infected by coronavirus to his family for cremation.
Swab sample of the victim - a cancer patient - came out positive after cremation, prompting the Health department officials to ask all those who participated in the last rites to go for home isolation.
The incident took place at Kulailo village under Athagarh block.
According to reports, a 38-year-old man of the village who was suffering from cancer was admitted to a private hospital in Cuttack city in a critical condition on Monday. Hospital authorities started treatment after collecting his swab sample and sending it for Covid test. However, the patient succumbed on the same day.
Violating the guidelines for disposal of bodies of suspected Covid-19 patients, the hospital authorities handed over the patient’s body to his family members. They took the body to Kulailo on Tuesday and cremated it.
On Wednesday, Athagarh block officials received the Covid test report of the deceased cancer patient. Following this, Block Covid Nodal Officer Gagan Bihari Sarangi asked all participants of the funeral ceremony to go for home isolation. Steps are being taken for collection of swab samples of those who had come in contact with the infected patient and they will be sent for test within a day or two, informed Sarangi.
City Health Officer Satyabrata Mohapatra did not comment on action taken so far against the private hospital for violating the safety protocol.