KOLLAM: In a faux pas on the part of the staff of Kollam District Hospital, the body of a person who died of COVID-19 was handed over to the wrong family. The relatives of Kacheri native Sukumaran (78) were given the body of Kilikollur native Sreenivasan (75), who succumbed to COVID-19 at the hospital.

Sreenivasan had been undergoing treatment at home for COVID. He died on the way to the district hospital on Wednesday evening. Later, his samples returned positive for COVID. His relatives reached the hospital by yesterday 1.15 pm to collect the body. Upon checking the records, it was found that the freezer in which Sreenivasan's body was kept was empty. The hospital authorities realized their mistake after finding Sukumaran's body in the mortuary.

The cremation of Sreenivasan had taken place by the time the hospital authorities contacted the relative of Sukumaran. Later, the hospital authorities intervened and handed over Sreenivasan's ashes from the cemetery to his relatives.

The bodies are kept in the mortuary freezer by tying tokens with the number in the register. When the relatives arrive to collect, the body is handed over after checking the token number in the register. The police surgeon and the nursing assistant are in charge of these matters. The bodies of those who died of Covid are wrapped using special cloth. But there is glass so that the face can be seen clearly. The mistake occurred as the body was handed over to Sukumaran's relatives without checking the token and the register.