General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCan Coronavirus be transmitted from dead bodies?
And for how long? I can't find anything definitive.
greenjar_01
(6,477 posts)Renew Deal
(81,855 posts)lapfog_1
(29,199 posts)Specific advice for workers handling corpses
Graveyards should be at least 30 m from groundwater sources used for drinking-water.
Grave floors must be at least 1.5 m above the water table, with a 0.7 m unsaturated zone.
Surface water from graveyards must not enter inhabited areas.
Exercise universal precautions taken when handling blood and body fluids.
Use gloves once only and dispose of correctly.
Use body bags.
Wash hands with soap after handling bodies and before eating.
Disinfect vehicles and equipment.
Be vaccinated as much as possible.
There is no need to disinfect bodies before disposal.
Blood borne viruses can be transmitted via direct contact of non-intact skin or mucous membrane from splashing of blood or body fluid or from injury from bone fragments and needles.
Gastrointestinal (GI) infections can easily be transmitted from feces leaked from dead bodies. Transmission occurs via the fecaloral route through direct contact with the body, soiled clothes or contaminated vehicles or equipment.
dalton99a
(81,442 posts)The risk is zero after 72 hours, even for cholera/hepatitis/etc.
Princess Turandot
(4,787 posts)Because the disease primarily spreads via respiratory droplets, a no longer breathing person isn't a problem, unless you stir something up, like using an oscillating saw to cut into a bone.
Most of the article relates to autopsies, but this is the website/guidance that the funeral directors' organization is sending their members to.
Much is unknown about COVID-19. Current knowledge is largely based on what is known about similar coronaviruses. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and now with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Most often, spread from a living person happens with close contact (i.e., within about 6 feet) via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. This route of transmission is not a concern when handling human remains or performing postmortem procedures. Postmortem activities should be conducted with a focus on avoiding aerosol generating procedures, and ensuring that if aerosol generation is likely (e.g., when using an oscillating saw) that appropriate engineering controls and personal protective equipment (PPE) are used. These precautions and the use of Standard Precautions should ensure that appropriate work practices are used to prevent direct contact with infectious material, percutaneous injury, and hazards related to moving heavy remains and handling embalming chemicals.
Renew Deal
(81,855 posts)Kablooie
(18,625 posts)He seems to be living in a dead body.
Response to Renew Deal (Original post)
dewsgirl This message was self-deleted by its author.
Voltaire2
(13,003 posts)So if Wuhan had just one crematorium capable of cremating 150 bodies per day it would have processed all of the covid-19 deaths in the world in 20 days.
So Im curious where you got this information on the 24/7 Wuhan crematoriums.
Chainfire
(17,527 posts)If the virus will survive on metal surfaces it will survive on corpses. However, it is unlikely that the corpse will be coughing on you.