Sri Lanka finally lifts ban on burial of COVID victims

Controversial ban imposed since March last year lifted after months of protests by Muslim and rights groups.

The Sri Lankan government has lifted a controversial ban on the burial of bodies of people whose deaths were caused by the COVID-19 disease, a health ministry spokesman said. The ban was lifted on Friday after months of protests mainly by Muslim groups and international pressure. In March last year, the government imposed regulations that said the bodies of COVID-19 victims could only be cremated.