The Koforidua Government Hospital has reacted to reports that the body of a COVID-19 patient had allegedly gone missing from its morgue.

Initial reports suggested that the body of the deceased was nowhere to be found when Environmental Health Officers (EHO) arrived to supervise her burial.

Environmental Health Officer for New Juaben South, Emmanuel Tetteh, said the body was disinfected and specially embalmed in accordance with COVID-19 pre-burial protocol.

But, contrary to reports that the body was missing, Mr Tetteh said upon getting to the morgue, he was alerted that the family of the deceased had been given access to the body by the mortuary attendants.

This was after the family’s initial permission from the Health Directorate to bury their relation was shot down.

Adom News’ Maxwell Kudekor reported that the hospital’s authority explained that the body was allegedly discharged at 6: 00 am for ritual and was returned at 10:00 am to the site.

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Confirming the issue to Adom News, Director of Clinical, Eastern Regional Hospital, Dr Amponsah Forster, said investigations were underway to determine how the mortuary attendants released the body without authorisation.

He pleaded for his outfit to be given time to investigate and gather facts on the matter.

However, the EHO officer is said to have reported the family to the police for flouting COVID-19 protocols, before the appropriate burial was held.

The EHO, however, assured that the COVID-19 embalmment makes it nearly impossible for the virus to live in the body, let alone be transferred to either deceased or living persons.