Covid-19: How to handle the remains of a person who has died of coronavirus
Should the death rate appear to exceed the capacity of available space to keep mortal remains, the government may intervene to facilitate mass burials.
The Government Gazette, published on 25 May, has specified regulations under which bodies of persons who died of Covid-19 at home should be handled.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize amended regulations in the Government Gazette notice no 457 published on 8 April in this regard.
According to the Gazette, “Family members must not, at any stage, handle the body. An EMS must be called immediately to confirm death before removal by an undertaker.”
Belongings of the deceased should be handled with gloves and cleaned with a detergent followed by disinfection with a solution of at least 70 per cent ethanol or 0.1 per cent bleach.
Clothing and other fabric belongings of the deceased should be machine washed at 60°C to 90°C and detergent. If machine washing is not possible, linen should be soaked in hot water and soap in a large drum using a stick to stir and being careful to avoid splashing. The drum should then be emptied and the linen soaked in 0.05 per cent chlorine for 30 minutes and then rinsed and allowed to dry in full sunlight.
According to the Gazette, the mortal remains may not be conveyed in public unless:
- They are placed in a polythene bag, sealed in an airtight container, placed in a sturdy transparent sealed coffin or embalmed and the total surface of the body is covered with a 5cm layer of wood sawdust or absorbent material treated with disinfectant.
- A medical practitioner declared in writing that the conveyance of such remains will not constitute a health hazard.
- The body is transported in an authorised vehicle designated and certified to transport mortal remains.
The Gazette also stated that a funeral undertaker must deliver the mortal remains on the morning of the burial (and not the night before) and must ensure that the remains are not touched during viewing.
Cremation is highly recommended, according to the Gazette, where a person has died due to Covid-19.
The Gazette also stated a number of specifications for burial services of those who have passed away as a result of Covid-19:
- Burial services must be as short as possible and may not exceed two hours
- Only close family members should attend a funeral service
- Mortal remains may not be kept for more than three days at the mortuary.
“Should the death rate appear to exceed the capacity of available space to keep mortal remains, the government may intervene to facilitate mass burials,” according to the Government Gazette.
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