Citing the danger of transmission of the novel coronavirus, the Center has instructed the Supreme Court that adjustments within the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for disposal of lifeless our bodies of Covid-19 victims is not going to be allowed in a Parsi method. Allowing lifeless our bodies to rot within the open.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated this in an affidavit filed within the apex court docket. The affidavit was filed in response to a petition by the Surat Parsi Panchayat Board, searching for permission to carry out dokhmenashini (final rites) of its members who died resulting from COVID-19, as per their non secular practices.
The ministry stated that it has issued pointers for disposal of lifeless our bodies of Kovid-positive individuals in session with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
“The basic element of these guidelines is that the carcass shall be completely covered and not exposed so that those who are handling the dead body, which may or may not include family members, are not exposed to bodily fluids or secretions. Must come.” It stated, “According to the scientific evidence that has emerged so far, the virus can survive on dead bodies, in body fluids, secretions and moist cells of the dead body for up to nine days.”
“A dead body shall be treated as a non-living surface and the secretions from the pores will carry the infected cells and will remain smeared on the surfaces of the body after death,” the affidavit stated. Therefore, stays essential from a public well being perspective.”
The authorities additionally stated that the World Health Organization has famous that if an individual dies of COVID-19 whereas being infectious, the lungs and different organs should still have the virus alive after loss of life and have to be disposed of. Only cremation or burial is really helpful. Such corpses.
The authorities additionally highlighted considerations concerning the potential for the virus to unfold to animals in the event that they weren’t cremated or buried correctly.
It stated that the OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) has noticed that people who find themselves suspected or confirmed to be contaminated with the virus ought to reduce direct contact with animals, together with wildlife.
OIE stated, “It has also been observed that several animal species have demonstrated susceptibility to the virus in natural settings through experimental infection and exposure to infected humans, although these infections are not drivers of the current COVID-19 pandemic.” There can be proof that contaminated animals can transmit the virus to different animals in pure settings via contact, equivalent to mink-to-mink transmission, and mink-to-human transmission. -Cat transmission “though not all species seem to be susceptible to SARS-CoV. -2”.
The authorities stated the group “also noted that there are legitimate concerns about the establishment of SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs in wild or domestic animals, which could pose a continuing public health risk and spillover to humans in the future.” can result in occasions. Introducing the virus from a lifeless physique to a brand new animal species can speed up its evolution, doubtlessly impacting surveillance and management methods.
The Union Ministry argued, “Keeping the dead bodies open (uncovered) without burial or cremation will not be a permissible method of disposal of bodies of COVID-positive patients.”
The petition was filed in opposition to the July 23, 2021 judgment of the Gujarat High Court searching for to declare the 2020 COVID-19 pointers on lifeless physique administration issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as extremely vires. The prayer was rejected. ,
Seeking to dismiss the enchantment, the well being ministry stated the excessive court docket had determined the matter “after a detailed investigation, and considering the danger to public health”.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
