Management of Dead Bodies from COVID-19

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Management of Dead Bodies from COVID-19

General Health Care Practitioner (HCP) Questions

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Gurmandeep Singh Sandhu,M.B.B.S.[2]

Management of Dead Bodies from COVID-19

Do any special procedures exist for the management of bodies of persons who died from COVID-19?

  • The health worker attending to the dead body should perform hand hygiene, ensure proper use of PPE (water-resistant apron, goggles, N95 mask, gloves).
  • Plug Oral, nasal orifices of the dead body to prevent leakage of body fluids. If the family of the patient wishes to view the body at the time of removal from the isolation room or area, they may be allowed to do so with the application of standard precautions.
  • Place the dead body in a leak-proof plastic body bag.
  • The exterior of the body bag can be decontaminated with 1% hypochlorite. The body bag can be wrapped with a mortuary sheet or sheet provided by the family members.
  • All used/ soiled linen should be handled with standard precautions, put in a biohazard bag and the outer surface of the bag disinfected with hypochlorite

solution.

  • Used equipment should be autoclaved or decontaminated with disinfectant solutions in accordance with established infection prevention control

practices.

  • All medical waste must be handled and disposed of in accordance with Biomedical waste management rules.[1]

[2]

References

  1. "www.chp.gov.hk" (PDF).
  2. "Govt shares guidelines on dead body management of infected with Covid-19 - Oneindia News".