Kolkata, April 3: The West Bengal health department on Friday issued an an advisory to state officials and the public, stating that there is no chance of transmission of coronavirus in crematorium or burial area. The advisory was released after residents blocked government officials from cremating an elderly man, Bengal’s first casualty. Similar reports of protests arrived from corner of the state too.

According to the official data, released by the Union Health Ministry, three peopel have died in the state due to coronavirus. Stating thadvisory quoted from the World Health Organisation guidance and the Union health ministry guidelines, the West Bengal said that the main driver of transmission of Covid-19 is through droplets. Coronavirus Outbreak: No Risk in Cremating Infected Bodies, Says AIIMS Director.

Adding more, the state government's advisory noted that the there is no risk to health workers, family members or people in the locality, who have followed standard precautions while handling the dead body. It said, as quoted by Hindustan Times, "Temperature generated during burning of bodies is 800-1,000 degree celsius, under which, in no condition, can the virus remain viable."

Apart from this, the government even claimed that there was no evidence of the smoke generated from the pyre can cause COVID-19. It said, "Hence, it is clarified that if the protocol prescribed for transportation and disposal of dead bodies of COVID-19 positive persons is followed, there is no risk of any coronavirus infection spreading from the dead body as result of cremation."

Earlier, Director at All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi -- Randeep Guleria -- also said that there is no risk in cremating the body of a person who died of coronavirus infections. He clarified that coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, cannot spread through dead bodies. Therefore, there is no harm in cremating bodies of deceased coronavirus persons.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 03, 2020 05:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).