COVID-19: 328 bodies received in mortuaries from May 30 to June 12, says Delhi govt to HC

New Delhi [India], June 15 (ANI): The Delhi government has informed the Delhi High Court that 328 bodies were received in the hospital mortuaries, and 338 bodies were sent for last rites out of which 333 bodies were received by relatives from May 30 to June 12. All these deaths were attributed to COVID-19.
A report filed by Delhi government before a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan, states that some relatives are not turning up to claim bodies on the same day. Therefore, the Delhi government has ordered to provide a 72-hour window within which steps to be taken to contact concerned relatives and then dispose of the body.
Between May 30 and June 12, there have been only seven cases where family members were not present at the site. Of these seven cases, four bodies have been received by the Police, two bodies have been received by relatives, after being traced out by the Police, and one body was received by the local Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti, with due authorisation.
There have been no cases in this period where the Resident Commissioner of a different state had to authorise cremation or burial.
Delhi government standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose also told the court that the body is disinfected, packed in a bodypack and transported in a van to the mortuary where it is kept preserved in the cold storage. After the relative identifies the body, in the mortuary, the body is loaded in the vehicle by the hospital staff, who also accompany the body to the crematorium, burial ground, and cemetery, as the case may be.
The body is sent directly to crematorium, burial ground or cemetery in sealed condition to stop further contamination. The vehicles are again disinfected or sanitised after they return.
The government also intimated about the visit of a team of the National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC) in the LNJP Hospital on June 11 for an on the spot assessment of the facilities for COVID-19 care in view of the allegations related to denial of admission to patients. The team interacted with the hospital administration, doctors, staff and some attendants of the patients there.
The team visited the emergency and the ward having beds for the COVID-19 patients. In its preliminary report, the NHRC team has noted that no serious patient was denied admission and as such only those patients are being admitted whose condition is serious; others having minor symptoms are being advised for home quarantine.
"The team has further been informed that patients are being allowed to carry mobile phones and there is no such restriction. Home food is also being allowed. Additionally, the hospital canteen has been providing breakfast, lunch and dinner as per schedule. the Delhi government said in its report.
"About 23 per cent doctors and para-medical staff has been kept ready aside for deployment on a need basis," it added.
It further stated that the NHRC team visited the emergency and other wards having beds for COVID-19 patients, and no issue of bodies lying in corridors, or patients not being attended to has been flagged.
The hospital administration has been advised by the team to put up prominent display boards at the entry gates, indicating directions for patients, and direct phone numbers of concerned officers in the hospital, to facilitate patient movement.
The Delhi High Court was hearing a petition initiated by its own after taking suo motu cognizance on the media reports regarding the backlog in the disposal of bodies, which has been caused owing to non-functioning of CNG furnaces at Nigam Bodh and Punjabi Bagh crematoriums.
The HC has stated that this is violations of human rights and seeks response of Delhi Government and various Municipal Corporations. (ANI)