Heatwave Crisis: Post-Mortem Surge Hits Gautam Buddh Nagar

Gautam Buddh Nagar health department has seen an unexpected surge in post-mortem cases amid a severe heatwave. Over three days, 75 bodies were received, a significant hike from the usual 7-8 per day. Private hospitals have provided additional mortuary freezers to cope with the increase.

Amid a severe heatwave, the Gautam Buddh Nagar health department has reported an alarming spike in post-mortem cases, receiving 75 bodies between June 18-20, officials confirmed.

Senior district health officials described the fatalities as 'unexpected,' noting that the number of post-mortem cases typically averages around seven or eight per day.

While the department couldn't conclusively link the deaths to the heatwave, the rise in cases prompted local private hospitals to offer additional mortuary freezers to accommodate the bodies.

'We normally handle 7-8 cases daily, but between June 18-20, we received 75 bodies,' said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Suneel Kumar Sharma, highlighting a significant increase.

Hospitals reported 20 bodies as 'brought dead,' and 10 were unidentified, necessitating expanded post-mortem duty staff to manage the surge.

On the heatwave's impact, Dr. Sharma cited 'extreme and unusual' conditions, attributing the heightened death risks to increased heat and humidity.

'Construction workers, security personnel, and traffic police must take precautions like using caps, consuming ORS, and avoiding prolonged exposure,' he advised.

To address the mortuary capacity issue, the Pediatric Institute, Noida, has authorized the use of its eight freezers, raising the total to 14 operational units for post-mortem storage.

Hospitals like Kailash, Fortis, and Felix have also contributed their mortuary freezers, the health department added.

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