Victim’s body handed over to family as Covid-negative in Yamunanagar

Shiv Kumar Sharma
Tribune News Service
Yamunanagar, July 31

In a case of gross negligence by the health authorities, the body of a Covid victim was handed over to the family as Covid-negative in Yamunanagar on Thursday.

Later, the authorities called up the family to tell them that the victim was Covid-positive.

Then, the body was taken to the Civil Hospital from the house of the victim and cremated by the district administration as per Covid protocol late in the evening.

According to information, the patient, a known case of pulmonary tuberculosis with pleural effusion on treatment from Government Medical College, Chandigarh, was brought dead to Civil Hospital here on July 28.

Cheit Singh, a brother of the deceased, said that they were given the body with a Covid-negative report on July 30.

“We took the body home at Jawahar Nagar, Yamunanagar. We started preparations for the cremation. In the meantime, we got a phone call from the Civil Hospital telling us that the victim is Covid-positive. We were told not to take out the body from the body cover,” said Cheit Singh.

He said that after some time, the body was taken to the Civil Hospital and was cremated by the health authorities in the evening.

“It is a case of gross negligence and action should be taken against those responsible,” said Cheit Singh.

Dr Vijay Dahiya, Civil Surgeon, Yamunanagar district, said that the sample of the body was sent to Ambala for Covid sampling and report came inconclusive on July 29. Therefore, the test was again repeated.

“The repeat sample report came out positive but by mistake, the report was given as negative by the data operator. On the basis of the report, the attendants got the body released from the mortuary. But the mistake came in the notice of the hospital authorities immediately and the body was taken back from the family within minutes of reaching home,” said Dr Dahiya.

He added that the body was already well wrapped in body cover and it was not opened.

He further said that the body was then cremated by the district administration with complete Covid protocol at the designated cremation site.