Mysore/Mysuru: As Mysuru is witnessing surge in COVID-19 cases with increased number of causalities every day, the staff members of Mukthidhama in Vijayanagar 4th Stage are facing increased workload than ever before.

K.R. Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. N. Nanjundaswamy said that the crematorium staff are now working under a lot of pressure. “Here, we cremate the bodies of COVID victims according to the protocol. Earlier, we used to get eight to 10 bodies for cremation, but from the last few days, up to 14 bodies are arriving each day. 

0Over the past couple of days, furnaces here have been taking significant load and our staff members are working round the clock,” he said.

“Coronavirus infected patients are being treated at K.R. Hospital surgical and medical wards and also at various other private hospitals. On an average, we used to get at least four to six persons who have succumbed to the virus infection. We share these details with COVID War Room as well as Mysuru City Corporation (MCC). Unless the body is completely burnt to ashes, we cannot receive any more victims for cremation. As a result, bodies of such victims would remain in the mortuary,” he said.

“On Monday, four persons had died due to COVID-19, but we were not in a position to receive those bodies. MCC had shared the information with us, but the hearse van, which transports bodies from the hospital to the crematorium had some technical issues due to which we had kept the bodies in a designated room.” 

“But some people complained about this whole process and alleged that hospital staff are not releasing the bodies. Later, we handed over and cremated the bodies here at Mukthidhama,” he added.