SILCHAR, July 28 - As speculations regarding spread of COVID-19 virus from dead bodies is doing rounds across Barak valley, the Cachar district administration along with doctors from the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) and political leaders have come forward to dispel the doubts.
In a meeting held on Monday, Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli said, �there is nothing to fear or panic once a COVID-19 patient succumbs to the disease and there are no chances of contamination spreading from such a dead body. The national guidelines on how to handle dead bodies are being strictly adhered to.�
She sought cooperation from religious leaders and urged them not to fall prey to the rumours and to spread the message loud and clear. Jalli added to say that the COVID-19 victims must be accorded the last respects at the time of cremation or burial.
Professor and Head, Department of Forensic Medicine, Dr Gunajit Das said, �since aerosols are not produced by dead bodies, so chances of infection become almost nil and necessary precautions are taken care of by body handlers as suggested in the guidelines.� He elaborated on how bodies of COVID-19 casualties are packed as per the guidelines issued by Government of India on March 15 and the SoP by the State Government on April 7 this year. Superintendent of SMCH, Dr Abhijit Swamy said that the bodies of the deceased were sent to cremation or burial grounds after proper sanitisation and multilayered packing.
Silchar MP Dr Rajdeep Roy said that since there is no precedent of anyone getting infected from a dead body of a corona victim, all kinds of rumours must be brushed aside. Silchar, MLA Dilip Kumar Paul mentioned that one of the four crematoriums inside the Silchar crematorium must be demarcated solely for disposing of dead bodies of COVID victims.
It may be mentioned that Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sumit Sattawan has urged the heads of all religious leaders, political leaders and others to work together to raise awareness among the masses regarding the wrong notions of COVID spread. ADC Rajib Roy, Principal of SMCH, Dr. Babul Bezbaruah among others were also present.
