Burying the bodies of COVID-19 patients is proving to be troublesome for the Kurnool district administration, which is already grappling with an unrelenting rise in the number of positive cases.
On Thursday alone, 43 positive cases were reported taking the total number of cases to 386. Thirteen patients were discharged from the Shantiram COVID-19 Hospital after they recovered and tested negative. However, it is little solace for officials as the adherence to the lockdown norms in the town, particularly in the red zones, is poor with residents of Saibaba Colony near Kondareddy Buruju venturing out of their homes despite police making all efforts to confine them to their homes.
There have been nine COVID-19 deaths in the district so far. Residents of two areas objected to the burial of the victims fearing that the infection might spread. District Collector G. Veerapandian said that it was unfortunate that some civic staff and policemen who had gone to provide security were attacked.
“We follow all the norms in burying the bodies. The family members of the victims are also allowed to participate in the last rites and are given proper personal protection kits,” Mr. Veerapandian told The Hindu. Four bodies were buried at Jagannathagattu near Prajanagar, while one body each was buried at the Budhawarapeta Hindu Burial Ground, Sunkesula Road Hindu Burial Ground, Muslim Burial Ground, KMC dumpyard and Panyam village.
Strong resistance
While attempting to bury bodies at Budhawarapeta, there was strong resistance from locals while stone-pelting was reported at Jagannathagattu on Tuesday night. The Chief Minister reviewed the situation with district officials on Thursday.
Out of the 43 new COVID-19 cases, 32 were from Kurnool Municipal limits, eight from Nandyal town, two from Pamulapadu and one from Alampur in Telangana. Out of the 386 cases, 324 cases were from Kurnool (231), Nandyal (73), Nandikotkur (10) and Atmakur (7) municipal limits, while 62 cases were from other rural mandals.
Those discharged included four persons from Kurnool city, two each from Nandyal and Banaganapalli and one each from other mandals.
