Does novel coronavirus survive on dead bodies of patients?
Does novel coronavirus survive on dead bodies of patients?
As the number of coronavirus cases has been increased across the globe, several questions have been asked about the cause and symptoms of the virus. Quotidian new researches have claimed different reasons for the protracted disease and also revealing how long the virus can stay on living and non-living things including metals and non-metals. Since the disease spread rapidly, the government also asked people to wear either homemade or readymade masks before stepping out of their homes, in a bid to avoid the infection.
Now, the latest report claimed that the virus can be spread from the dead body to humans.
The case was reported in Thailand, where the virus was transmitted from a corpse to a human.
According to the reports in Buzzfeed News, a study published in the Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine on Sunday revealed that the first reported of the case of COVID-19 infection and death among medical personnel in a Forensic Medical Unit.
The researcher of the study claimed that forensic medical experts have a lesser chance of contracting the virus with the infected patients, but there is a high probability of affecting the virus due to biological samples and corpses.
Know how long can the virus stay on a dead body?
According to the WHO, the COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 has claimed that the virus can survive on the surface for a few hours or up to several days. According to the study, it is not clear how long the virus could survive on dead bodies.
The author of the study claimed that anyone who comes in the contact with the COVID-19 patient body, whether it is alive or dead, should properly use the personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent the exposure of the virus.
According to the report of Buzzfeed News, the Health Policy Expert Summer Johnson McGee of the University of New Haven claimed the autopsies and other investigation on the dead body of COVID-19 patient could increase the risk of contraction of the virus.
Also Read: Coronavirus Aftermath: Scientists warn ‘social distancing likely to be followed until 2022’
Amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, medical professionals must treat COVID-19 patients with the utmost care by using proper equipment.
Due to the surge in coronavirus cases, the other issue that doctors are facing across the globe is the scarcity of proper PPE, but it is equally important to take care of people who are taking care of dead bodies.
WHO also claimed that the Ebola virus also transmitted from dead bodies to living humans.
Hence, people who died from tuberculosis, hepatitis, and cholera are also recommended to follow the precautions in a bid to prevent oneself from the bacteria and virus of the deadly disease.