Researchers are learning new things about the novel coronavirus almost daily, with the most recent lesson coming from beyond the grave.
The professional society notes"Medical Examiners and Coroners are familiar with handling bodies that have other viral diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis, diseases that likely pose more risk at autopsy than COVID-19. Funeral Homes routinely handle bodies with known infections of varying kinds as well."according to the World Health Organization
. However, WHO also recognizes that workers who routinely handle corpses are at risk of contracting tuberculosis, blood-borne viruses like Ebola, hepatitis and HIV, and gastrointestinal infections like E. coli and typhoid fever. Medical examiners can never be too sure which infections a corpse may harbor, so they always take universal precautions, and treat all body fluids as infectious. This means wearing protective suits, gloves, goggles, face shields, caps and masks."I approach all my cases with universal precautions so in that regard I feel protected to a certain extent," said Melissa Guzzetta, a medical examiner based in New Jersey.
Data regarding the exact number of COVID-19 contaminated corpses is not easy to come by since testing for COVID-19 in dead bodies is not routine. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has specific for the collection and submission of post-mortem specimens from deceased persons with known or suspected COVID-19.
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