Mascrinhos said there has been a lack of facilities, especially crematoriums, to handle more bodies and this was a huge problem as the majority of non-Muslim families would request for cremation.
“We had a case on Sunday where we could not find a crematorium fast enough for this boy who died from the virus alone, as his family members were all from Sarawak.
“This is very sad as all crematoriums are booked and I could only find a slot one week later, which is this Sunday, before sending the ashes back to his family,” he said.
The number of Covid-19 deaths in the country has been on an increase for the past few weeks and reached a record high of 207 on Monday and Tuesday.
There has also been a surge in the number of new infections, with the health ministry reporting a record 17,405 new cases in the 24 hours preceding yesterday.
“As human beings, we feel the grief, too,” said Mascrinhos. “When I took the boy’s belongings from the hospital, it became really personal for me. I had to sort out his personal items and got a small insight into his life. It was so sad, I thought to myself, what if this happened to my loved ones?”
He said he now handles 20 to 25 funerals a month, a huge increase from the 10 to 15 before the pandemic, and he only sleeps for three to four hours a day.
On the handling of the deceased during the pandemic, Mascrinhos said undertakers must wear a full set of personal protective equipment (PPE), while the bodies are sanitised and wrapped in body bags before they are placed in a casket.
“Most (non-Muslims) prefer cremation, and once the casket arrives at the crematorium, I recite a prayer (Norman funeral service focuses on Catholic and Christian bereavement care needs), if the families are okay with it, before the cremation,” he said.
Undertaker Irwan Muhamad Ishak, of Sentuhan Setia Kasih, a non-profit organisation, said it has been tough and heartbreaking for him to handle funerals of Covid-19 patients.
He said family members often had no time to say a proper goodbye to their loved ones, which was “really sad”.
Before Covid-19, he said, his group handled three to five burials a day, but this had increased to between 12 and 15. All SOPs and personal hygiene were strictly observed.
Despite this, Irwan said, he was happy that he could do something to help so many families.
“The other day, we had to transport a body from Sungai Buloh to Kelantan. Although it was a long journey, our priority was – and is – always to lighten the load of the bereaved families.”
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