Procedure for treating the body during the covid outbreak

When a disease outbreak occurs, health workers must not only pay attention to the handling of infected patients. The care of the corpse also needs to be prioritized properly to prevent infectious diseases such as COVID-19 more widely. The same principle applies in handling the COVID-19 outbreak that is currently spreading.

The global death toll due to the COVID-19 pandemic until Monday (6/4) has reached 69,458 people. In Indonesia, the total number of cases has reached 2,273 people, with 198 of them reported dead.

So, what are the procedures for treating the corpse to prevent the spread of this contagious disease?

Categorization of bodies of victims of infectious diseases such as COVID-19

Handling of the corpse must be done more thoroughly during the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The reason is, the disease can spread from the corpse to healthy people through handling and funeral processions.

Before handling, the body needs to be categorized based on the cause of death first. This will determine what action needs to be taken and to what extent the family can make contact with the body before burial or cremation.

Based on the transmission and risk of disease, the following categories are commonly used:

1. Blue category

Treatment of the body is carried out according to standard procedures because the cause of death is not an infectious disease. The body does not need to be carried in a special bag. Families are also allowed to see the body in person at the funeral.

2. Yellow category

Care for the corpse was carried out with greater care because there was a risk of exposure to infectious diseases. The body must be carried in a body bag, but the family may see the body at the funeral.

This category is usually given if the death is caused by HIV, hepatitis C, SARS, or other diseases as recommended by a health professional.

3. Red category

Care of the corpse must be carried out strictly. The body must be carried in a body bag and the family is not allowed to see the body directly. The funeral process is carried out by authorized health personnel.

The red category is usually given if the death is caused by anthrax, rabies, ebola, or other diseases as recommended by health professionals. COVID-19 falls into this category.

COVID-19 Outbreak updates Country: IndonesiaData

1,024,298

Confirmed

831,330

Recovered

28,855

DeathDistribution Map

The process of caring for the body of COVID-19

Handling of the body of COVID-19 must be carried out by health workers in a special manner. This procedure aims to prevent transmission of COVID-19 through aerosols from the corpse to the mortuary officer, as well as to the neighborhood and funeral visitors.

The procedure is as follows.

1. Preparation

Before handling a corpse, all officers must ensure their own safety by wearing complete Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The PPE needed, namely:

• Disposable waterproof dress with long sleeves
• Non-sterile gloves that cover the hands
• Surgical masks
• Rubber apron
• Face shield or glasses / goggles
• Watertight closed shoes

The officer must provide an explanation to the family regarding special care for bodies that die from infectious diseases. Families are also not allowed to see the body without wearing PPE.

Apart from the completeness of PPE, there are also a number of things that officers need to pay attention to in order to maintain their own safety, namely:

• Not eating, drinking, smoking, or touching the face while in the corpse storage room, autopsy, and viewing areas.
• Avoid direct contact with the blood or body fluids of the corpse.
• Always wash your hands. Wash your hands with soap or sanitizer made from alcohol.
• If it has a wound, cover it with a bandage or waterproof bandage.
• As much as possible, reduce the risk of being injured by sharp objects.

2. Handling the corpse

The body should not be injected with preservatives or embalmed. The body is wrapped in a shroud, then wrapped again in a waterproof plastic material. The ends of the shroud and watertight plastic must be secured tightly.

After that, the body is put into a body bag that is not easily penetrated. Officers must ensure that there are no leaks of body fluids that can contaminate the body bag. The body bag is then sealed and may not be opened again.

3. Anticipating if exposed to blood or body fluids of the body

Medical personnel who treat bodies with infectious diseases are at risk of being exposed to the same disease. If the officer is exposed to blood or body fluids, the following are things that need to be considered:

• If the officer has a deep stab wound, immediately clean the wound with running water.
• If the stab wound is small, just let the blood come out on its own.
• Injured medical personnel should seek medical assistance immediately.
• All incidents that occur while handling the body must be reported to the inspector.

4. Disinfection and storage of the body

Treatment of the corpse in the event of an infectious disease outbreak generally also involves disinfection. Disinfection is usually carried out by spraying disinfectant on the body bag and the medical personnel who will handle the body.

The body was carried on a special gurney to the morgue by officers. If an autopsy is required, this procedure should only be performed by special personnel with the permission of the family and the hospital director.

5. Storage of the body in the mortuary

Not only treatment, storage of bodies with infectious diseases must also be done carefully. The officer must ensure that the body bag remains in a sealed condition before it can be put into the wooden crate that has been prepared.

The wooden crate is tightly closed, then closed again using a plastic layer. The plastic-coated crates are then disinfected before being put into an ambulance.

6. Burial and burial

After the series of treatment processes are completed, the body is placed in a special room for burial. The body should not be more than four hours in the burial place and must be buried immediately.

The body was delivered by a special hearse from the City Park and Forest Service to the burial or cremation site. Burial or cremation must be carried out without opening the coffin.

If the body is buried, burial can be carried out in a cemetery located 500 meters from the nearest settlement and 50 meters from groundwater sources. The body must be buried at a depth of at least 1.5 meters, then covered with soil one meter high.

If the family wants the body to be cremated, the cremation location must be at least 500 meters from the nearest settlement. Cremation should not be done on several bodies at once to reduce smoke pollution.

Treatment of the corpse can increase the risk of spreading infectious diseases if it is not carried out according to procedures. As long as the officer and the family work together to comply with established procedures, treatment of the corpse can actually help prevent further disease transmission.