Health authorities yesterday (27) allayed fears that arose of a possible surge in Covid-19 deaths after reports of Sri Lankan authorities requesting for body bags spread in the media. Sri Lanka has applied for an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) donation to obtain 1,000 body bags, the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) of the Health Ministry confirmed. Speaking to The Morning, MSD Director Dr. H.M.K. Wickramanayake stressed that the ordering of body bags was not in any means connected to an expected increase in Covid-19 deaths in the country, but was rather to fulfil the need to maintain the necessary stocks available. “Even though we recorded only seven Covid-19-related deaths, so far 300 body bags had been used by the hospitals around the country during the last two months,” he said, adding that body bags were being used for each suspected death, though these were later confirmed as not being related to Covid-19. “At present, we have around 300 body bags available in stocks,” Dr. Wickramanayake added. “Body bags are not only used for Covid-19 deaths but in an event of a disaster or bomb explosion too. Therefore, it is important for a country to maintain a healthy stock to be prepared to face any such incident,” he said. According to the MSD Director, the body bags would be provided by the ICRC as a donation and the respective letter had been sent to them requesting for the donation. “The ICRC, through local manufacturers, would provide the 1,000 body bags,” he added. – Maheesha Mudugamuwa