Fear of the dead transmitting disease unfounded: experts

'Usually, bacteria and viruses die if the host dies'

21/04/2020, SERENA JOSEPHINE M.,CHENNAI

On April 13 and 19, residents took to the streets to oppose the burial of doctors who died of COVID-19 in the city. But the fear that the disease could spread from the dead was unfounded, and unnecessary, said doctors.

So far, 17 persons have died due to COVID-19 in the State. However, the burial of two doctors - an orthopaedic surgeon from Nellore (the death was part of Andhra Pradesh’s tally) and a neurosurgeon who headed a private hospital in Chennai - witnessed opposition from residents living in the area where the burial grounds were located.

Official sources said that the Chennai Corporation did not face any hurdles in conducting the burial of other patients who had died of COVID-19 in the city.

“The route to the burial ground was cleared and the burials were conducted smoothly,” an official said.

“Last night, an earthmover was engaged in digging a pit at the burial ground. The residents came out on hearing the sound. When they knew that a patient who died of COVID-19 was going to be buried there, they started to block the entrace to the cemetery. Chances are slim that they knew it was a doctor. They would have objected to and attacked anyone for that matter, considering the profile of the locality,” the official said.

SOP followed

R. Selvakumar, professor and head, Forensic Medicine Department, Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, explained the standard operating procedure followed in preparing a body for burial or cremation. “If it is a confirmed COVID-19 patient, we take all necessary precautions. We wear personal protective equipment and sanitise the body with antiseptic solution. We wrap the body in a cloth and pour the antiseptic solution on it. We then cover it using a plastic sheet and put in a body bag which is leakproof with a zipper in the centre. Both the inside and outside of the bag are sanitised,” he explained.

If the patient had tubes during hospitalisation, the passages are packed carefully to prevent leaks, he said. He added that sometimes, a person could have been admitted to the COVID-19 ward but died before the test result arrived. “In such a situation, the same protocol is followed. But we keep the body in the mortuary until the laboratory result arrives.”

He said the body is shifted from the mortuary only after the Chennai Corporation arranges for the burial and a pit is dug for burial. “None of the relatives are allowed to touch the body. But they are allowed to see the face of the person,” he said.

Deeper pit

He said that usually, bacteria and viruses die if the host dies. “There is no chance of any infection spread by burying the person. There is no study to prove that the virus spreads from the dead to others,” he said. For the burial of persons who died of COVID-19, a deeper pit - six to eight feet deep - is dug.

“A dead person cannot sneeze or cough or breathe. All ways of infection spread stops the moment a person dies. Viral replication also stops. The skin may contain viral particles. So long as there is no touch, there is zero per cent chance of infection spread,” J. Amalorpavanathan, retired vascular surgeon, said.

“Safe and dignified burial or cremation of those who died of COVID-19 is the responsibility of the State. If there is any failure, it is that of the State,” he added.

An official said many countries were cremating those who died of COVID-19 and this was in fact ideal to prevent any further infection.

“The government could also identify a place that is outside the city. Most of the burial grounds in the city are old and in the midst of residential localities,” he said.