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Coronavirus bodies are infectious – Prof Mukonka

By NAMO PHIRI

BODIES of people who have died from Covid-19 are infectious and must be handled with maximum care to prevent infections, the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) has said.

ZNPHI Director, Professor Victor Mukonka, said body fluids of someone who had died of Covid-19 could be modes of transmission and that people cleaning the bodies must mask up and wear gloves correctly.

Prof Mukonka said even surfaces where the bodies were placed should be disinfected thoroughly.

“The common mode of transmission is inhaling droplets of a person or body that is infected with Covid-19,” he said.

Prof Mukonka said those who handle the bodies in mortuaries were being guided in terms of how to handle them to prevent infection and how to clean up thereafter.

He also emphasised the need to minimise the number of people at funeral events as these were super spreader events and a lot of people could catch the virus during such gatherings.

Prof Mukonka said handshakes, hugs and crying all facilitate the spreading of the virus and so funeral gatherings should be minimised to just the small nuclear family with a few close members.

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