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Ranil tells govt not to dilly-dally with burial decision

Published

2 years ago

2020/12/26

By Saman Indrajith

UNP Leader and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the government should take immediate action to either bury or cremate COVID-19 infected corpses, instead of keeping them in freezers over a long period.

Speaking to the media after meeting a group of health officials at his residence in Colombo on Thursday, the UNP leader said that the issue of burying or cremation of the bodies of COVID -19 victims had now become a political issue and it was wrong to keep those bodies in freezers.

“The government should make a decision on the basis of scientific facts and opinion of health experts. The health experts state that the virus can remain strong and active when storing corpses of corona infected people in freezers. Owing to indecision of the government in the face of protests and agitations, corpses of those who died of the coronavirus are now stored in freezers. These corpses should not be kept in freezers at all. Either the bodies should be buried or cremated immediately after death. This decision should be taken by the government,” the UNP leader said.

Wickremesinghe said that when a COVID-19 infected body after being kept in a freezer for several days is transferred to a coffin for burial or cremation the virus could be released to the outside environment.

He said that research has proved that the virus is safe in extreme cold. “Medical experts say that it can also be activated later. So keeping COVID infected bodies in freezers over a long period is a wrong decision. There is no need to get involved in politics for such matters. The government should take a direct and firm decision,” he said.

“This should be done without any further delay. It is important to look into the recommendations of the World Health Organization as well as the manner in which countries such as Korea, India and Germany have acted in this regard,” he said.

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South Korean airline bans emergency seats after plane door opens

Published

11 hours ago

2023/05/28

Priyan

South Korea’s Asiana Airlines has stopped selling some emergency exit row seats following an accident in which a passenger opened an emergency exit door midair causing panic on board.

The incident took place on an A321-200 plane, which was carrying nearly 200 passengers, as it approached the runway at Daegu International Airport, about 240km (150 miles) southeast of Seoul. The plane landed safely but several passengers were hospitalised. There were no serious injuries or damage.

The airline told the AFP news agency on Sunday the emergency exit seats – 31A and 26A – on its 14 A321-200 jets would no longer be offered for sale. “As a safety precaution, this measure will apply even if the flights are full,” it added. It is however unclear how the move might stop passengers seated elsewhere on the plane from attempting to open the emergency door.

The man, in his 30s, was arrested by authorities in Daegu for allegedly breaking aviation security laws. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. He told Daegu police that he had been under a lot of stress after losing his job recently and that he opened the door because he wanted to get off quickly after feeling suffocated, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday.

Video footage apparently taken by a person on board and posted on social media showed passengers’ hair being whipped about by air rushing into the cabin when the emergency door opened.

It is still unclear how Lee was able to open the emergency exit door mid-flight.

Jin Seong-hyun, a former Korean Air cabin safety official, said as far as he knew, this case was unprecedented, although passengers have opened emergency exits without authorisation while planes were on the ground.

A South Korean transport ministry official said it was possible to open emergency exits at or near ground level because the pressures inside and outside the cabin were similar.

(Aljazeera)

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Heat Index at Caution level in Northern, North-Central, North-western and Eastern provinces and Monaragala and Hambanthota districts

Published

15 hours ago

2023/05/28

Priyan

Heat index Advisory Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre At 07.30 a.m. 28 May 2023, valid for 28 May 2023

Heat index, the temperature felt on the human body is expected to increase up to ‘Caution’ level at some places in Northern, North-Central, North-western and Eastern provinces and Monaragala and Hambanthota districts.