City eyes burial supervision of Covid -19 Muslim patients

MEMBERS of the Muslim community in Baguio City are advised to inform the government on deaths related to Covid - 19.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong told representatives of the Muslim community that while respecting the sector’s traditions for burial, there is a need to ensure individuals who may have died of the virus, be placed in sealed coffins and processed by workers wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

“Can we do it within 12 hours because that is the health sector’s advice once a person dies due to Covid – 19 for them to be buried. Within that span of time, my question to you is how sealed would the coffin be,” Magalong asked Yasser Guru of the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).

NCMF earlier appeared before the Department of the Interior and Local Government to inform them of their religious practices on burials affected by Covid - 19.

When asked on how protected would their members assigned to do the burial preparations be with Muslim patients who died from Covid - 19, Gurru said maximum of 12 hours.

“But we can do the burial even within 12 hours from death. The person will be put in a box and this people who will do that will be complete with protective gears which have been issued under the guidelines given by the DILG,” said Guru.

Magalong meanwhile told the Muslim community, especially those who will prepare the burial to properly wear PPEs.

“We should immediately be informed of deaths of our Muslim brothers and sisters that have died due to this virus so that the appropriate medical process will be followed by our personnel and with health officials to prevent the possible spread of the virus,” Magalong said.

Guru, agreed to the recommendations of the city’s chief executive.

As of this writing, members of the Muslim community in the Summer Capital are Covid -19 free.