A Brief Note on Disposal of Bodies of COVID-19 Victims

SSRN, 2020

The Muslim and Christian minority communities in Sri Lanka, as a matter of religious ruling and practice, bury their dead. Having initially permitted cremation or burial, the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health issued fresh Regulations purportedly under section 2 and 3 of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance No: 3 of 1987 making it mandatory to cremate bodies of COVID-19 victims irrespective of their faith. This caused great anguish and distress to Sri Lankan Muslims whose scientific and legal fraternity prepared a comprehensive memorandum containing their response to the environmental and public health concerns with regard to burial of COVID–19 victims. On the basis of scientific studies, WHO guidelines and practices of other nations responding to COVID-19, the memorandum argues that the burial of COVID–19 victims does not pose any serious environmental and/or public health risks. The memorandum was submitted to the to the relevant Health and other authorities on April 13, 2020 to enable the said authorities to reexamine the issue and make an appropriate recommendation or in the alternative to instruct the Minister of Health to amend the Regulations currently in force in line with the WHO Guidance to permit to all the option of burial of bodies of COVID-19 victims.

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2020

The Muslim and Christian minority communities in Sri Lanka, as a matter of religious ruling and practice, bury their dead. Having initially permitted cremation or burial, the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health issued fresh Regulations purportedly under section 2 and 3 of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance No: 3 of 1987 making it mandatory to cremate bodies of COVID-19 victims irrespective of their faith. This caused great anguish and distress to Sri Lankan Muslims whose scientific and legal fraternity prepared a comprehensive memorandum containing their response to the environmental and public health concerns with regard to burial of COVID–19 victims. On the basis of scientific studies, WHO guidelines and practices of other nations responding to COVID-19, the memorandum argues that the burial of COVID–19 victims does not pose any serious environmental and/or public health risks. The memorandum was submitted to the to the relevant Health and other authorities on April 13, 2020 to enable the said authorities to reexamine the issue and make an appropriate recommendation or in the alternative to instruct the Minister of Health to amend the Regulations currently in force in line with the WHO Guidance to permit to all the option of burial of bodies of COVID-19 victims.

Journal of Human Rights Practice, 2021

In early 2020, the Government of Sri Lanka decided that all bodies of individuals who had (or suspected to have) died of COVID-19 shall be disposed of by cremation alone. Although this decision appears to be neutral and does not give rise to de jure discrimination, as a matter of fact, it has significantly impacted the Muslim community of Sri Lanka. This is so because they firmly believe in the need to give their dead a dignified and decent burialcremation being regarded as a repugnant practice amounting to a desecration of the human body. As such, the Sri Lankan Government's decision to adopt a cremation only policy interferes with the right of all Sri Lankan Muslims to manifest their religion or belief as guaranteed by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. Despite there being no scientific evidence to suggest that the burial of COVID-19 victims could give rise to contamination of the surroundings and thereby cause the spread of the virus, the Government of Sri Lanka continued with the policy for almost a whole year. Thereafter, due to international pressure, the Sri Lankan Government decided to allow burials but in a very restrictive manner. The objective of this paper is to consider the extent to which the aforesaid decisions of the Sri Lankan Government are consistent with the fundamental rights framework of the country's constitution.

public and private institutions 7 , there was a call for a ban on the niqab, and many xenophobic publics used the bombings to justify their harassment of Muslims. Since early 2020 Muslims and Christians faced a fresh onslaught of hate crimes following the mandatory cremation policy enforced by the government. This report provides a detailed account of the incidents that transpired and a legal analysis of the policy and state action from 2020 to early 2021.

Medico-Legal Update

The Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) earlier known only as the Wuhan virus, expanded its circle and finally spreading its routes to India. The guidelines/considerations published by various government organizations for management of dead bodies in context of COVID-19 were reviewed. The problem arrived when experts found some loopholes in government guidelines and other social issues were raised in different parts of country regarding the final rituals of deceased died due to suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. Some cases were also observed in neighboring countries also. In this article, light was thrown on utility of body bags for handling dead bodies, environmental cleaning, autopsy & embalming related issues, precautions in case of community deaths etc. We tried to discuss the issues in light of available guidelines by government of India and other international guidelines.

Journal of Health and Translational Medicine, 2020

The pandemic outbreak caused by COVID-19 has been spreading throughout the world including Indonesia. The high number of infection cases and deaths due to Covid-19 and the lack of experience in managing corpses (post mortem) caused by COVID-19 disease creates defiance for forensic practitioners and the general public. Indonesia has extra challenges because there are still people who refuse to bury corpses known to be COVID-19 victims in their areas. This paper reviews and summarizes the experience of how to deal with a corpse case with COVID-19 including how to bury such a corpse hence providing a perspective view for the future.

IASET, 2021

Since all expired bodies are irresistible, customary safety measures ought to be taken in each situation. A solid individual is probably not going to be contaminated by most microbes in the body. At the point when an individual comes into contact with the blood, body liquids, or tissue of an individual who has kicked the bucket of an irresistible condition, some irresistible organic entity specialists can be sent. Dead bodies ought to be overseen so that laborers' openness to blood and liquid from dead bodies, body liquid, or tissue is limited to diminish the danger of transmission of obscure and vague irresistible illnesses.

Medico-Legal Journal

Covid-19 has reached almost all the nations in the world. More and more people are dying from it and in some countries, even the army has been called upon to help dispose of the dead as there is a shortage of coffins, and undertakers are overwhelmed. Therefore, it is essential to have measures in place to contain the spread of infection while handling dead bodies. In view of this, different guidelines and protocols have been proposed bearing in mind the limited information we have about the virus. This review article sets them out for better reference.

Forensic Science International: Synergy, 2021

International journal of current research and review, 2021

The development of a new human coronavirus, which is known as‘SARS-CoV-2’, that causes serious infection of the respiratory tractin humans, affects every country of the world and has become a concern to the global health Since the virus was first identified in December 2019, the number of deaths increased exponentially, leading countries around the world to increase emergency measures to fight the virus Since the COVID-19 pandemic does not distinguish its sufferer, it is of paramount importance to draw up a strategy for the management and protection of the dead for all suspected or verified cases of COVID-19, including the unidentified deceased, as an important part of the forensic humanitarian action approach In this article, a general idea on how to precautions and management should be done by the health care worker of the dead bodies of COVID 19 is given Wherever possible, families must be given every opportunity and assistance to regret their loved ones, even in times of this pa...