MADURAI: The burial of the 54-year-old man from Anna Nagar in Madurai who succumbed to COVID-19 was carried out here in the wee hours of Wednesday based on the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Health .
Following the death of the patient, the driver of the hearse service was hesitant to take the corpse initially. However, after health officials convinced the driver that transmission does not occur from deceased COVID-19 patients and provided him with proper protective equipment, he agreed to take the corpse, said sources from GRH.
The collector said that the corpse of the deceased was wrapped in a three-layer package that was disinfected with hypochlorite solution. "As per the guidelines of Union Ministery of Health, the health workers along with the driver of the hearse service were provided with protective equipment. Only ten of the family members were there in the funeral that took place at 4.30 am at Melamadai. They were also provided with safety equipment," he said.
Sources from GRH said that the primary contacts of the deceased, who were under screening in the isolation ward, were sent home to perform the last rites. "Owing to the distress the family is currently facing, we could not force them for a sample test now. However, they are monitored under home quarantine and the tests would soon be taken," said the sources.
Guidelines on management of dead bodies given by the Union Ministry of Health
The guidelines on management of corpses of symptomatic or confirmed COVID - 19 patients given by the Union Ministry of Health are limited in scope to hospital deaths.
As the main driver of the viral infection is through droplets, there is unlikely to be an increased risk of transmission from the corpse of infected person to the health care workers and family members.
The guidelines further prohibit performing autopsies except in
special cases where prevention control practices should be adopted.
Standard precautions to be followed
* Hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment including water resistant apron, gloves, masks and eyewear by health care workers.
* Safe handling of intravenous catheters.
* All tubes, drains and catheters used on the deceased should be removed.
* Plug oral, nasal orifices of the deceased to prevent leakage not body fluids.
* Family members shall be permitted to view the corpse of the deceased at time of removal from isolation room with application of standard precautions.
* The body should be wrapped in a three layer wrapping with the exterior decontaminated with one per cent hypochlorite.
* The body will either be handed over to the relatives or taken to mortuary.
* All surfaces of isolation room should be disinfected and the equipments used on the patient should be decontaminated.
* Counselling should be provided to the family members.
* The vehicle, after the transfer of the body to cremation or burial staff, should be decontaminated with one percent sodium hypochlorite.
At the crematorium or burial ground
* The staff at the crematorium or the burial ground should use masks and gloves
* Viewing the face of the deceased by unzipping the face end of the bag (by the staff using standard precautions) for one last time to the relatives may be allowed.
* Religious rituals of last rites that does not require touching of the body can be allowed.
* Bathing, kissing and hugging of the corpse should not be allowed.
* The ash does not pose any risk and can be collected to perform last rites.
* Large gatherings should be avoided.