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WHO Speaks On Dead Bodies Of Coronavirus Patients Being Infectious
The World Health Organisation (WHO) disclosed that people can not contract the COVID-19 from corpses of patients who died of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
Brandnewsday reports that WHO in a statement has reacted to certain claims from some quarters that dead bodies are infectious. Adding that it is only possible except in cases of hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola, Marburg and cholera. Therefore, dead bodies are generally not infectious.
WHO made this known during the addressing of the interim guidance on ‘Infection Prevention and Control for the safe management of a dead body in the context of COVID-19’. The World Health body revealed that only the lungs of patients with pandemic influenza if handled inappropriately during an autopsy, could become infectious.
“Otherwise, cadavers do not transmit disease. It is a common myth that persons who have died of a communicable disease should be cremated, but this is not true. Cremation is a matter of cultural choice and available resources,” WHO commented.
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The health body further disclosed that to date, there was no prove made available of persons having become infected from exposure to the bodies of persons who died from COVID-19.
Speaking further, the health body stated that people may die of COVID-19 in the health care facilities, home or in other places but the safety and well-being of everyone who attends to the bodies (COVID-19 dead patients) should be the first priority.
WHO said: “Before attending to a body, people should ensure that the necessary hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies are available.
”The dignity of the dead, their cultural and religious traditions, and their families should be respected and protected throughout. Hasty disposal of a dead from COVID-19 should be avoided.”
However, WHO appealed personnel (health care or mortuary staff, or the burial team) who engaged with the bodies to ensure they employ standard measures.
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