The coronavirus can survive effectively in the bodies of individuals who have died from Covid-19, and it may even be capable of infecting others, according to Japanese scientists.
The risk of transmission primarily occurs among those handling the bodies, such as pathologists, medical examiners, and healthcare workers. Individuals working in locations that may report deaths, such as hospitals and nursing homes, also face this risk.
While transmission from deceased bodies is unlikely to be a major factor contributing to the pandemic’s spread, families of those who have died from Covid-19 should exercise caution, experts warn.
The risk of coronavirus transmission from living patients is significantly higher than the potential risk from deceased individuals. (Photo: Straits Times).
“In some countries, the bodies of individuals who have died from Covid-19 are being neglected or returned to their families. I believe this is information the public needs to be aware of,” stated expert Hisako Saitoh from Chiba University (Japan), as reported by The New York Times on December 15.
Hisako recently published two new studies on the matter. Numerous studies have found evidence that the coronavirus can survive in a body for up to 17 days after the patient has passed away.
The research by Saitoh and his colleagues provides deeper insights, indicating that the bodies of victims who died from Covid-19 may carry a substantial viral load, and that deceased hamsters can transmit the virus to living hamsters in the same cage.
Hisako Saitoh’s new research has not yet been published in a scientific journal. However, experts assert that it was conducted rigorously and yields convincing results.
The risk of virus transmission from living patients is emphasized to be much higher than the potential risk from deceased individuals, according to Saitoh and other scientists.
