Amid COVID-19 fear, dead bodies find no takers in Odisha

Fear of contracting coronavirus has gripped people so much that they are even abandoning their deceased loved ones, the cause of death notwithstanding.
For representational purposes (Photo | PTI)
For representational purposes (Photo | PTI)

BERHAMPUR: Fear of contracting coronavirus has gripped people so much that they are even abandoning their deceased loved ones, the cause of death notwithstanding.

Two days back, a man from Kabisuryanagar passed away on the way from a Covid care centre to a hospital, sparking fears that he died of coronavirus.

The panic was such that even the ambulance, instead of going to the hospital, returned to the locality with the body. But residents did not even allow the two siblings of the deceased to conduct the funeral rites.

At last, the local administration intervened and arranged for the funeral.

A similar incident took place last week when a young trader of the same locality fell sick and his swabs were sent for testing.

When he tested positive on Thursday and a team arrived to take him to the Covid hospital, his father died of shock.

Here too, none of the neighbours turned up to arrange for his burial. The body was left abandoned for hours until five youths appealed to the administation for PPE suits and after receiving those, cremated the body.

On Friday, the death of a man whose son had passed away 12 days back, triggered similar response from locals in Balipada village under Kukudakhandi block.

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The New Indian Express
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