Staff Reporter
The remains of people who succumb to COVID-19 may not be taken home for overnight vigils, any form of rituals or body viewing as they are considered highly hazardous, the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality has said.
Municipal spokesperson Qondile Khedama said the local authority had also directed such remains should be transported under strict supervision from the mortuary straight to the cemetery on the day of burial.
“The human remains of COVID-19 deaths are considered contagious and should be kept only in designated health facilities’ mortuaries,” he said in a statement which lists a host of stringent measures to be followed by both the bereaved families and funeral undertakers.
Khedama said the municipality came up with the measures following consultation with the Free State health department and are therefore in line with prescribed health standards.
He said the two are also working closely to educate funeral undertakers on the guidelines to follow when dealing with the remains of a confirmed or potential COVID-19 case.
“Funeral undertakers have been informed that the remains of a person who died from COVID-19 (are) legally regarded as biohazard remains and categorised as hazardous Group 4 Pathogens. This means they can cause severe human disease and may present a high risk of spread to the community and there is no effective treatment,” said the municipal spokesperson, adding the handling of the human remains will be strictly monitored by environmental health practitioners from Municipal Health Services throughout the process.
He said strict guidelines have been put in place for the safety of all parties involved in handling the remains of a person who has died as a result of COVID-19.
This includes but is not limited to funeral parlour workers, family members, municipal health services, health workers and others.
As part of the strict measures state, the remains will be moved from a health facility like a hospital or isolation centre to a designated health facility mortuary by a forensic pathology vehicle.
The place from which the remains are collected will be decontaminated under the guidance of Municipal Health Services.
“An environmental health practitioner will meet with the bereaved family to explain the process to them and how it will unfold. It is important to explain to the family that the remains shall under no circumstances go to the family home; whether for viewing, aesthetic, hygiene preparations, cultural or religious reasons,” Khedama explained.
“If a viewing should take place, it must be done by two family representatives at the designated health facility mortuary. The family representatives must adhere to all safety measures to ensure their safety and well-being. On the day of the burial, the funeral service will continue without the presence of the remains.”
The vehicle transporting the remains will be allowed to drive past the home or the place where the funeral service will be taking place and join the cortege to the cemetery or crematorium.
Pall bearing duties will be performed by a maximum of eight people, who should all be dressed in personal protective equipment to handle the coffin.
The city authorities also directed that the funeral shall not be attended by more than 50 people and no night vigils are allowed; no ritual communal handwashing is allowed; water and soap should be made available for hand-washing and, where possible, families should also use hand sanitisers with more than 60 percent alcohol.
Law enforcement agencies are expected to go around communities and cemeteries to ensure families comply.
The municipality said the new measures have been necessitated by the fact that it has the highest number of positive COVID-19 cases in the Free State.
The first COVID-19 death in the province reported on Tuesday occurred in Mangaung, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to five.
The Free State has 76 confirmed cases of the coronavirus to date while the national figure stands at 1 380.