(CNN) Experts from the world's chemical weapons watchdog hope to exhume the bodies of victims of an alleged chemical attack in Syria in order to take samples, the body's chief has said.

At least 48 people died in the suspected chemical attack in Douma, the last rebel-held town in Eastern Ghouta, on April 7.

A fact-finding team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons finally collected samples from the site in Douma on April 21, after waiting days for access. The delay raised concerns that any chemicals potentially used could have degraded before inspectors reached the site or that evidence could have been manipulated.

The OPCW is now seeking samples from the remains of those killed in the attack, Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu told the Financial Times.

"From the bodies already buried we are looking for ways to exhume if possible and take some biomedical samples," Uzumcu said.

Read More