COLOMBO: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed authorities to immediately cremate the bodies of unclaimed Covid victims.
According to the Disaster Management Centre, the relatives of the deceased have refused to consent and are unable to provide coffins for the cremation, resulting in the bodies of Covid victims to remain in the Police mortuary for days after the death.
When the situation was brought to the notice of the President, he had instructed authorities to cremate the bodies at the expenses of the Government as per the health guidelines on the prevention of COVID-19.