Cremation of COVID-19 victims made mandatory under amendment to Quarantine Ordinance

Sunday, 12 April 2020 15:48 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Health and Indigenous Medical Services Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi has made new regulations under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance, making it mandatory for the body of person who dies or suspected to have died of novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to be cremated. The Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance which was first promulgated in 1897 and amended several times allows for both cremation and burial of persons who die of contagious infections or diseases of epidemic nature.

However, with the amendments published in the gazette yesterday, it will be mandatory to cremate those who succumb to COVID-19. The new regulations state that the bodies have to be cremated at the temperature of 800 to 1200 degrees Celsius, for a minimum period of 45 minutes to 1 hour for complete burning, for the purpose of prevention of any potential biological threat at a cemetery or place approved by the proper authority as well as under the supervision of such authority, in accordance with the directions issued by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS).

The regulations prohibit the handover of the body of a person who dies of COVID-19 or is suspected to have died of Coronavirus to any person except to those who undertake the necessary duties of cremation. The attire and the non-reusable personal protective equipment used by persons who handle the corpse at such cemetery or place, need to be incinerated by placing them with the coffin during cremation and the reusable equipment should be properly decontaminated and disinfected in accordance with the directions issued by the DGHS.

The ashes of the dead person can be handed over to the next of kin if they request so.

The Health Ministry's announcement comes despite vehement opposition for cremation by people of Islamic faith in Sri Lanka, and numerous appeals to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stating burial of persons deceased by COVID-19 with extra caution procedures, is within World Health Organisation (WHO) approved guidelines.