Dead bodies of Covid patients have been piling up in Ragama and Gampaha hospitals as a rush created in crematoriums which are utilized to cremate Covid bodies, Gampaha Administrative Public Health Inspector Saminda Samaradiwakara told Lankasara. According to him, Bodies are cremated throughout the day at the Gampaha Kasagahawatta and Welisara crematoriums but it has become insufficient with the rising death toll.
It is said that about 08 Covid bodies leaving the Gampaha hospital are cremated daily at the Gampaha Kasagahawatta crematorium and about 05 bodies discharged from the Ragama hospital are cremated at the Welisara crematorium.
Generally, it takes about one and half hours to cremate one body and then the other body has to be cremated except for the crematorium to cool down. It is reported that a serious situation has arisen in the mortuaries of the Gampaha and Ragama hospitals as the crematoriums have to be accommodated for ordinary deaths as well.
Hospital sources said that some Covid bodies have been lying for about 7 days.
Although permission sought to cremate the bodies in other crematoriums in the area to ease the congestion, but authorities have not given their approval theses sources further said.
