COVID-19 fatalities should be cremated within 12 hours

MANILA, Philippines — Hospitals, health facilities and crematoriums should ensure that the remains of a patient whose death is or probably due to the new coronavirus is cremated within the next 12 hours.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases issued this reminder following reports that a government hospital in Quezon City might need more mortuary freezers for unclaimed bodies of COVID-19 patients.

“The cremation within 12 hours must be fulfilled. It should not be violated — Although the problem sometimes is that the payment is delayed. So the Cabinet said: Do not wait for payment. If it needs to be cremated, it should be cremated without waiting for the payment,” IATF spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said.

He added that documentary requirements for deceased patients can be solved later on.

—Julie M. Aurelio

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