“Coronavirus, according to scientific evidence that has emerged so far, can survive on a dead body, in bodily fluids, secretions and moist cells of the dead body for up to nine days.”
The Indian government has declared that, as Sars-CoV-2 remains active in a dead infected person for up to nine days, its standard operating procedure provided only for cremation and burial of the dead infected persons, which excluded Parsi ritual of leaving the dead in Tower of Silence to get decayed by natural elements and birds.
The ministry, in its affidavit through advocate Rajat Nair, said the basic elements of the standard operating procedure is that the body should be fully covered and not exposed so that people who are handling the bodies of the persons who died of Covid, which may or may not include family members, must not come in contact with bodily fluids or secretions.
“Coronavirus, according to scientific evidence that has emerged so far, can survive on a dead body, in bodily fluids, secretions and moist cells of the dead body for up to nine days. A dead body will be considered as an inanimate surface and secretions from orifices will carry infected cells and will remain smeared on the body surfaces after death. An increased risk of Covid infection from a dead body to health workers or family members is unlikely when they follow standard precautions and SOPs while handling a dead body,” the Centre said.
