New Delhi: More than 9,400 COVID protocol cremations took place in the municipal corporation-run 28 COVID-designated funeral centres in April— the worst impacted period, so far, since the pandemic began.
The cumulative data from the three civic bodies showed that, between April 1 and 30, the nine Covid-designated funeral centres under South Delhi Municipal Corporation oversaw 3,931 cremations and burials, while 14 centres under North Delhi Municipal Corporation witnessed 3,978 Covid funerals. During the same period, the east body recorded 1,523 Covid funerals, leading to a cumulative Covid funeral count to 9,432, Times of India reported.
Nigambodh Ghat under the north civic body and Punjabi Bagh Shamshan under SDMC had been the two busiest sites. In April, the official Covid fatality count in the health department’s Delhi state health bulletin increased from 11,036 on April 1 to 16,147 on April 30 — an increase 5,111 bodies.
A senior official said the COVID protocol cremations were carried out with a series of precautions mandated by the health ministry to minimise the risk of spread of the infection, the report said.
“In cases where the test results are still awaited or tests could not be carried out but patient shows symptoms, the hospitals send the bodies with COVID suspect tag. The suspect bodies are also laid to rest with the same procedure,” the official added. For instance, EDMC saw 1,523 Covid funerals, of which 1,219 were Covid confirmed, while 304 were under the suspected category.
Another public health official said the real count of the Covid fatalities was likely to be much higher.
“With hospital beds full and lack of access to ICUs, many people are now dying at home and cremating the bodies under the normal non-Covid categories. There has been a significant increase in the non-Covid funerals, too, at many sites,” the official added.
After having peaked at 717 Covid protocol funerals on April 29, the number has consistently fallen in the past 11 days. On Sunday, 431 COVID protocol funerals were carried out till 7pm.
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