All research cited by this document
World Health Organization
Ensure that personnel who interact with the body
(health care or mortuary staff, or the burial team)
apply standard precautions, 2,3 including hand
hygiene before and after interaction with the body,
and the environment; and use appropriate PPE
according to the level of interaction with the body,
including a gown and gloves. If there is a risk of
splashes from the body fluids or secretions,
personnel should use facial protection, including
the use of face shield or goggles and medical mask;
Prepare the body for transfer including removal of
all lines, catheters and other tubes;
Ensure that any body fluids leaking from orifices are
contained;
Keep both the movement and handling of the body
to a minimum;
Wrap body in cloth and transfer it as soon as possible
to the mortuary area;
– There is no need to disinfect the body before
transfer to the mortuary area;...
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3. World Health Organization. (2020). Infection prevention and control during health care when COVID-19 is suspected: interim guidance, 25 January 2020. https://www.who.int/publications-detail/infectionprevention-and-control-during-health-care-whennovel-coronavirus-(ncov)-infection-is-suspected- 20200125. (accessed March 22, 2020).
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World Health Organization
Safety procedures for deceased persons infected
with COVID-19 should be consistent with those
used for any autopsies of people who have died from
an acute respiratory illness. If a person died during
the infectious period of COVID-19, the lungs and
other organs may still contain live virus, and
additional respiratory protection is needed during
aerosol-generating procedures (e.g. procedures that
generate small-particle aerosols, such as the use of
power saws or washing of intestines);
If a body with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 is
selected for autopsy, health care facilities must
ensure that safety measures are in place to protect
those performing the autopsy; 4
Perform autopsies in an adequately ventilated room,
i.e. at least natural ventilation with at least
160L/s/patient air flow or negative pressure rooms
with at least 12 air changes per hour (ACH) and
controlled direction of air flow when using
mechanical ventilation; 5
Only a minimum number of staff should be involved
in the autopsy;
Appropriate PPE must be available, including a
scrub suit, long sleeved fluid-resistant gown, gloves
(either two pairs or one pair autopsy gloves), and
face shield (preferably) or goggles, and boots. A
particulate respirator (N95 mask or FFP2 or FFP3 or
its equivalent) should be used in the case of
aerosol-generating procedures. 6...
On page 2
5. World Health Organization. (2009).Natural ventilation for infection control in health care settings. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/44167 (accessed March 22, 2020).
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page 3
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Safety procedures for deceased persons infected
with COVID-19 should be consistent with those
used for any autopsies of people who have died from
an acute respiratory illness. If a person died during
the infectious period of COVID-19, the lungs and
other organs may still contain live virus, and
additional respiratory protection is needed during
aerosol-generating procedures (e.g. procedures that
generate small-particle aerosols, such as the use of
power saws or washing of intestines);
If a body with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 is
selected for autopsy, health care facilities must
ensure that safety measures are in place to protect
those performing the autopsy; 4
Perform autopsies in an adequately ventilated room,
i.e. at least natural ventilation with at least
160L/s/patient air flow or negative pressure rooms
with at least 12 air changes per hour (ACH) and
controlled direction of air flow when using
mechanical ventilation; 5
Only a minimum number of staff should be involved
in the autopsy;
Appropriate PPE must be available, including a
scrub suit, long sleeved fluid-resistant gown, gloves
(either two pairs or one pair autopsy gloves), and
face shield (preferably) or goggles, and boots. A
particulate respirator (N95 mask or FFP2 or FFP3 or
its equivalent) should be used in the case of
aerosol-generating procedures. 6...
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6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Interim guidance for collection and submission of post-mortem specimens from deceased persons under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19, February 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-postmortem-specimens.html (accessed March 22, 2020).
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Journal of Hospital Infection (Elsevier BV)
Human coronaviruses can remain infectious on surfaces for
up to 9 days. 7 COVID-19 virus has been detected after up to
72 hours in experimental conditions. 8 Therefore, cleaning the
environment is paramount....
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7. Kampf G, Todt D, Pfaender S, Steinmann E. Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. Journal of Hospital Infection. 2020;104(3):246-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.01.022(accessedMarch22,2020).
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page 3
Human coronaviruses can remain infectious on surfaces for
up to 9 days. 7 COVID-19 virus has been detected after up to
72 hours in experimental conditions. 8 Therefore, cleaning the
environment is paramount....
On page 2
8. Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc200 4973
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Journal of Hospital Infection (Elsevier BV)
placed on a surface for at least 1 minute. 9
Hospital-grade disinfectants may also be used as
long as they have a label claim against emerging
viruses and they remain on the surface according to
manufacturer’s recommendations;
Personnel should use appropriate PPE, including
respiratory and eye protection, when preparing and
using the disinfecting solutions; and
Items classified as clinical waste must be handled
and disposed of properly according to legal
requirements....
On page 2
9. Kampf G, Todt D, Pfaender S, Steinmann E. Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. Journal of Hospital Infection. 2020;104(3):246-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.01.022(accessedMarch22,2020).
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page 3
World Health Organization
10. World Health Organization. (2020). Water, sanitation, hygiene, and waste management for the COVID-19 virus. Interim guidance: 19 March 2020. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/33 1499/WHO-2019-nCoV-IPC_WASH-2020.2- eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (Accessed March 22, 2020).
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