Nigam Bodh Ghat Denies To Cremate Body Of Coronavirus Patient In Delhi

Family of the 68-year-old Delhi woman, who died of coronavirus, claims that the Nigam Bodh Ghat authorities have denied cremating the body. The relatives alleged that authorities at the Nigam Bodh Ghat flatly refused the last rites and told them to take the body to Lodhi Road electric crematorium. Even Lodhi Road refused to cremate the body. The family says that the body was kept outside the Nigam Bodh Ghat for four hours. The body was taken from the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital to the Nigam Bodh Ghat on Saturday morning. The family says that despite assurances from the medical staff accompanying them the Ghat authorities said that they won’t allow the funeral. Finally, the family had to pay Rs 1,000 at a CNG-run crematorium for the last rites.  (Coronavirus Live Updates)

The woman, a resident of Janakpuri, died of COVID-19 after being tested positive. Her son, who has travel history to Italy and Switzerland, is being treated for the coronavirus at a hospital in Delhi. The 46-year-old works at a leather factory in Noida. The entire premise was fumigated and all 700 staff are under observation. The elderly woman died due to co-morbidity. She also had history of diabetes and hypertension. She was the second coronavirus death in India.

On March 12, a 76-year-old Karnataka man, who died on Tuesday, has become India's first COVID-19 fatality, confirmed state government. It has been confirmed after his samples, taken earlier, were confirmed of having the virus. State Health Minister B Sriramulu in a tweet late Thursday said the necessary contact tracing, isolation and other measures as per protocol were being taken. "The 76-year-old man from Kalbauragi who passed away & was a suspected #COVID19 patient has been Confirmed for #COVID19. The necessary contact tracing, isolation and other measures as per protocol are being carried out," he said.

Meanwhile, China reported 13 new coronavirus deaths, taking the toll due to the disease to 3,189, while the confirmed cases climbed to 80,824 with 11 more infections, as the country witnessed a rise in imported cases, health officials said on Saturday. Seven imported cases were reported on the mainland on Friday, taking the total to 95, National Health Commission (NHC) said. Eleven new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection and 13 deaths were reported on the Chinese mainland on Friday, NHC said, adding all of the deaths were in the Hubei Province, the epicentre of the disease. The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,824 by the end of Friday.

(With agency inputs)