Fadnavis raises queries on cremation of COVID-19 suspect cases, requests Maha CM to follow ICMR protocols

Apr 22, 2020

Mumbai, Apr 22 (ANI): Former chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis requested CM Uddhav Thackeray to follow all the protocols of ICMR for COVID-19 suspected patients. Fadnavis said, “I have written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister that entry of patients is done as 'suspected COVID' but their swab isn't taken on time and after their death, their body is released as 'suspected COVID'. I've also sent 2 case papers to CM. There are around 100 such cases. This might reflect a dip in the number of deaths due to COVID but it raises a lot of questions. If a body is released as a non-COVID body then it is also cremated as a non-COVID. Their family and contacts are neither quarantined nor tested. 44 such bodies were released as suspected COVID-19 from one of the hospitals in Mumbai alone. There are many more which I know of, from other hospitals too. I've requested the CM that protocol to be followed, the swab test of patient to be done immediately and close contacts and family of the bodies which were released earlier be traced and quarantined.”