Karnataka's seemingly laudable management of Covid-19 took a hit on Tuesday with the video of insensitive burial of Covid-19 patients going viral. Shockingly, the incident reportedly happened in Health Minister B Sriramulu's home district Ballari. After the Puducherry shocker, the Ballari video reflected poorly on district administration over the management of Covid-19 scenario. Ballari district administration apologised to the families of the deceased.
In a shocking video that went viral on social media, masked men covered in body suits could be seen bringing dead bodies in body bags from a hearse van one by one and throwing them into the same pit. In all, three bodies were thrown into the same pit in the video. Ballari DC SS Nakul in a statement said that in all, eight people were buried at the site shown in the video.
The district reported 12 Covid-19 deaths on Monday. Five more people succumbed on Tuesday, taking the total fatalities to 29. In a similar incident, the body of a 44-year-old Covid-19 patient was thrown into a pit in Puducherry earlier this month after which a few health workers were suspended.
In the video, a pit is seen which appears to be disinfected. SS Nakul in his statement further said, "The video shows that the protocols to be followed for burial (body bags/lining, etc) have been strictly followed. However, the district administration is deeply upset and sorrowful at the manner in which the remains of the deceased were handled."
"The district administration condones the disrespectful handling of the bodies while being lowered onto the ground by the field staff. The entire field team involved has been disbanded and will be replaced by a new team trained by the HoD, Forensic, VIMS. The district administration regrets the incident and hereby, unconditionally apologises for this incident to the families of the departed in particular and people of Ballari in general," the statement further said.
Ballari has 773 total cases out of which 437 are active. According to the protocol set by the Union health ministry for burial of Covid patients, the patients' orifices (nose, mouth and ears) have to be sealed and the body has to be wrapped in three layers of personal protective equipment (PPE). Thereafter, it should be placed in a body bag. Family members should not be allowed to accompany the body in the hearse van. Covid-19 patients have to be given a deep burial.
The grave should be a minimum 10-feet deep. The grave should be disinfected with bleaching powder and the area should be cordoned off so that the general public are not in the vicinity. The vehicle used to transport the dead body of a Covid-19 patient -- ambulance or a hearse van -- has to be disinfected for 16 hours before being used again.
Most Covid-19 patients in the state have had burials in the absence of family members as they are generally in quarantine for being the primary contacts of the patient.