IPOH: In the midst of the worsening pandemic with record fatalities, undertakers are having their hands full in attending to the burials of those who succumbed to COVID-19.
These unsung heroes have to brave unpredictable weather, heavy rains, water pool in grave pits and getting tents blown off in a storm as among the major challenges to give the dead victims a dignified send-off.
Taking cognizance of the plight of poor families, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has been attending to such burials over the past one year.
Calling themselves as Ipoh Charity Team (Amal Team), they worked closely with the hospitals to give the remains of victims the proper rituals and burial.
Its representative Syahriman Shaari said they have managed 20 bodies in Perak since the outbreak of the pandemic last year in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH) for burial at Jalan Bendahara Islamic Cemetery here about three kilometres from Ipoh.
"As soon as we received the call, we have to bury the body immediately but heavy rain can cause this process to take a long time due to the grave pit being flooded or the tent being blown away by the storm.
"It would take an hour just to remove the stagnant water before the body is buried with the task of spraying disinfectant around the grave," he said when met by Bernama recently.
Sharing further, he said the handling of the remains of those who died as a result of the pandemic was carried out together with six members of Amal Team Ipoh, the MOH and the ustaz and it was different from normal deaths.
According to him, it is quite different as the shrouded body is bathed in a tayamum (dry using earth) manner, without the involvement of family members who could not even have a last look of the victim.
His team is also recommended to sunbathe for a few minutes in the heat of the sun every day to kill the virus due to exposure to COVID-19 despite wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and undergoing a decontamination screening process (DECON).
Syahriman said his team try to manage the remains as best as they could like their own family members especially since the next-of-kin were not allowed to be involved or near the burial pit during the funeral which is carried out under strict police watch.
"We try to do our best and then share the video recording of the funeral to the next-of-kin since it should have been done by the family members themselves," he said.
Therefore, he advised the public not to underestimate the dangers of COVID-19 which has claimed many lives by adhering to the standard operating procedures set by the government to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
Amal Team Ipoh, he said, is an NGO that offers free funeral management services to asnaf families to ease their burden while its operations are funded through public contributions.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Sun May 30 2021
In the midst of the worsening pandemic with record fatalities, undertakers are having their hands full in attending to the burials of those who succumbed to COVID-19. -- Astro Awanipic
Amang seksual: Inspektor polis akan ditahan kerja
Pegawai polis berpangkat inspektor yang ditahan selepas disyaki melakukan amang seksual fizikal terhadap seorang remaja dikenakan tindakan tahan kerja.
Pelaburan dari negara luar, negara harus menyahut cabaran baharu-Anwar Ibrahim
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang bercakap di World Economic Forum pada Ahad mengakui bahawa dengan pelaburan daripada negara-negara luar, pelbagai cabaran yang baharu Kerajaan Malaysia harus sahut.
Sultan Terengganu kurnia darjah kebesaran kepada 104 individu
Sultan Terengganu berkenan mengurniakan Bintang-bintang Darjah Kebesaran Negeri Terengganu Darul Iman kepada 104 individu di Istana Syarqiyyah, hari ini.
WEF: Piawaian ekonomi mampan harus adil, saksama kepada negara membangun - Tengku Zafrul
Transisi ke arah ekonomi yang mampan harus dilaksanakna secara saksama dan adil, kata Menteri Perdagangam Pelaburan dan Industri Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Raja Permaisuri Agong santuni keluarga Mohammad Amirulfaris
Raja Permaisuri Agong berkenan menyantuni keluarga Allahyarham Mohammad Amirulfaris yang terkorban dalam tragedi dua helikopter terhempas di Lumut.
Polis rampas dadah lebih RM2.3 juta, lelaki tempatan ditahan
Polis Johor merampas dadah bernilai lebih RM2.3 juta dalam dua serbuan berasingan di sekitar kawasan Johor Bahru Selatan pada Rabu lalu.
Jalani tempoh perkenalan singkat, warga emas 78 tahun teruja bertemu jodoh semula
"Kami diperkenalkan oleh kawan anak. Pertemuan pertama kami, dia pandang saya dia dah berkenan."
Waspada ejen nikah Siam
Konsulat Malaysia di Songkhla, Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi menasihat rakyat Malaysia yang ingin berkahwin di Selatan Thailand supaya waspada dalam pemilihan ejen.
Twincity Marathon rai golongan OKU
Perbezaan fizikal tidak melunturkan semangat golongan orang kurang upaya (OKU) untuk menyertai acara larian Twincity Marathon sejauh lima kilometer (km) di Cyberjaya hari ini.
Bersatu serah notis kepada enam ahli Parlimen selepas PRK Kuala Kubu Bharu - Hamzah
Bersatu akan mengeluarkan notis berhubung status kedudukan enam ahli Parlimennya yang menyokong Perdana Menteri selepas PRK Kuala Kubu Bharu.
Kelaparan akut jejaskan 281.6 juta orang tahun lepas - PBB
Tahap bahaya kelaparan akut menjejaskan 281.6 juta orang tahun lepas, tahun kelima berturut-turut bahawa ketakjaminan makanan semakin memburuk.
Hamilton optimis kedudukan lebih baik di GP China
Lewis Hamilton melihat potensi kedudukan yang lebih baik dalam saingan Grand Prix yang kembali ke China buat pertama kali dalam tempoh lima tahun, hujung minggu ini.
'Selfish!' - Fasha Sandha sedih raya di Perlis tak jadi gara-gara dijangkiti COVID-19
Fasha berkata dia mula melakukan pemeriksaan COVID-19 selepas berasa tidak sihat badan dan mengalami bersin tidak henti sejak Raya pertama.
Kes COVID-19 catat penurunan ketara pada ME 14/2024 - KKM
Jumlah kes COVID-19 menurun 97.1 peratus kepada 493 kes pada Minggu Epidemiologi ke-14 (ME 14/2024) iaitu bagi tempoh 31 Mac hingga 6 April lepas berbanding 17,256 kes pada ME 1/2024.
China jadikan pengalaman pencegahan COVID-19 untuk hadapi pandemik masa depan
China akan menjadikan pengalaman dalam pencegahan dan kawalan COVID-19 untuk membuat persediaan yang lebih proaktif untuk menghadapi pandemik masa depan seperti "Penyakit X".
Negara berdepan ketirisan subsidi diesel serius - Amir Hamzah
Negara kini sedang berdepan isu ketirisan subsidi diesel yang serius dan wujud kemungkinan terdapat pihak yang tidak layak masih menikmati subsidi itu, kata Menteri Kewangan II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah.
Kematian akibat kemalangan jalan raya lebih tinggi daripada COVID-19 - Anthony Loke
PDRM akan mengeluarkan data mengenai kemalangan jalan raya pada setiap hari, bukan setahun sekali seperti diamalkan sebelum ini.
Ismail Sabri ziarah lapan beradik yatim piatu akibat COVID-19
Ismail Sabri tiba kira-kira jam 2 petang di kediaman lapan beradik itu di Taman Adenium, Bukit Beruntung pada Selasa.
Teori konspirasi 'Penyakit X'
Ahli teori konspirasi AS sekali lagi membuat 'keuntungan' selepas PBB memberi amaran tentang wabak lebih berbahaya iaitu 'Penyakit X'.
Reformasi dasar, kukuhkan perlindungan, produktiviti pekerja tidak formal
Reformasi dasar perlu dilakukan dalam usaha meningkatkan perlindungan dan produktiviti pekerja tidak formal di Malaysia.