Patients dying at hospitals as Covid-19 suspect or probable shall be buried within 12 hours

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Apart from confirmed cases, Covid-19 suspects and those classified as probable who die in hospitals are to be buried within 12 hours, according to DOH guidelines.

The guideline was reiterated by Remegio Basilan, Department of Health-Kalinga Development Management Officer IV, during the 56th Sangguniang Panlalawigan regular session this May 4, 2021 when asked about handling of admitted patients dying at hospitals.

Basilan, however, mentioned that the culture and religious conditions surrounding a case should be respected.

“For Covid patient, the burial should be done within 12 hours including suspect and probable. To date, the latest guideline from the national inter-agency task force, the Department of Health said that suspect and probable are still to be buried within 12 hours but respecting ‘yung religion, culture of the families affected,” he said.

Main reason for immediate burial

Basilan explained that as per DOH guidelines the protocol has been placed to prevent the gathering of people which can be a super-spreader of the virus.

He cited that based on observation, during funeral, it is hard to control people and there are times that minimum health standards are neglected.

“It (the prolonged wake) causes danger because of the gathering. ‘Yun lang naman ang dahilan kung bakit sina-suggest nilang 12 hours,” he said.

As of April 30, 2021, there are 568 active cases and 45 Covid-19 death in Kalinga.

RT-PCR test not prerequisite to attend emergency cases in hospitals

Basilan during the session explained that being tested for Covid-19 is part of the procedure of being admitted to the hospital specifically during emergency; however, this is not a prerequisite before one attends to the present need of a patient.

This explanation came after Board Member Mark Aldrich Diasen asked Basilan on matters of handling emergency cases involving non-Covid patients such as the victims of road accidents.

“Adda ngay dagitoy accidents gamin, dagitoy motor accidents kuma or na-stroke, adu ngay dagiti ibagbaga dagitoy pasyente nga apay kanu a before da maasikaso, i-RT-PCR ket kuna met dagitoy pamilya nga iti cause nga intaray da daisuda idiay ket na-high blood or na-stroke or daduma pay, motor accident. Ket apay nga ma RT-PCR pay kanu dagitoy bago da maasikaso?” Diasen asked.

“Sir regarding diay procedures on handling especially those accidents, still ang pag-handle is solve muna kung ano ‘yung problema. The procedure on getting the RT-PCR is just only part of the process but not the prerequisite before attending to the need of the patient,” Basilan answered.

“I reiterate na ang unang gagawin is attending to the emergency and taking that RT-PCR test is just a part of the process,” he further stressed.

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