Covid-19 infection can’t spread through cremation, burial: Mohali civil surgeon

Covid-19 was transmitted mainly through droplets, not through bodies if safety procedures were followed

There is no chance of disease transmission when cremating or burying people dying from Covid-19 if health authorities and families follow defined disposal procedures, Dr Manjit Singh, civil surgeon, Mohali, said on Thursday, to dispel myths around the pandemic.

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Covid-19 was transmitted mainly through droplets, not through bodies if safety procedures were followed. “Temperatures generated during burning of bodies reach 800-1,000 degrees Celsius, in which the deadly virus can no longer remain viable,” Dr Singh said in an advisory released on Thursday.

Quoting the World Health Organization and Union health ministry guidelines, he said there was no evidence of people becoming infected from exposure to bodies of persons dying from Covid-19.

Appealing to people not to panic or object to such cremations or burials, Dr Singh said even the ash did not pose any risks and could be collected to perform the last rites. He said as per health ministry guidelines crematorium and burial ground staff had to ensure hand hygiene after the cremation/burial and while handling the body and use masks and gloves.

What was allowed, Dr Singh said, was viewing of the dead body by unzipping the face end of the body bag (by the staff using standard precautions) to let relatives take a last look at their loved one, as well as reading from religious scripts, sprinkling holy water and any other last rites that did not require touching the body.

However, bathing, kissing or hugging the body was not allowed.

Large gatherings at the crematorium/ burial ground should also not be allowed as a social distancing measure, the advisory added.