COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has begun mass cremations to clear a backlog of dead bodies from COVID-19 as cases surge across the island, officials said Monday (Aug 9). Daily virus infections in the country have doubled in a month to more than 2,500 with nearly 100 deaths, putting a huge strain on hospitals.
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has begun mass cremations to clear a backlog of dead bodies from COVID-19 as cases surge across the island, officials said Monday .
It was the first mass cremation since December when the government overruled religious objections and cremated 15 members of the Muslim minority, including a 20-day-old baby. "At this rate, we may have to build new crematoriums," PHI union chief Upul Rohana told reporters in Colombo. Coronavirus restrictions were tightened on Friday as reports emerged of COVID-19 patients dying while awaiting admission to overcrowded hospitals.The government said state ceremonies and public gatherings were banned until Sep 1.
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