ST. LOUIS — Can you catch coronavirus from a corpse?
Two Thai scientists thought it happened. They wrote a letter to the “Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine” saying they believed a medical examiner had caught COVID-19 from a dead, infected body.
A few weeks later, those scientists issued a correction. They said they couldn’t confirm the disease transmission from a corpse.
5 On Your Side’s Verify team sought out the expertise of physicians at two different hospitals on the subject.
Robert Poirier, the chief of the emergency department at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, said, “The most infectious part of the virus, definitely to healthcare workers and others, is through breathing. When a dead person doesn't breathe, you're not getting the high transmissibility of the virus, because they're not breathing. So, there is a little bit of risk.”
Dr. Poirier said when a patient in the hospital dies of COVID-19 they are sealed in a body bag and everything is sterilized.
But, hours or day later, is there still a risk when that infected body goes to a medical examiner for an autopsy? Even under perfect circumstances, an autopsy involves the secretion of body fluids, some of which could be sprayed into the air.
“It’s actually very possible," SSM Health’s Infectious disease physician, Dr. Alex Lacasse, said. "It’s not clear how long the virus will be active in a recently deceased person. There are procedures that are done during the autopsy that can aerosolize the airway. For example, the oscillating salt that they use for the sternum or the breastbone, that can create aerosols. If that is the case, then you need to wear a special mass called a N95.”
According to these St. Louis medical experts, it’s true that a corpse could be infectious.
Both doctors agree the proper personal protective equipment Is the key to preventing exposure from an infected body.
“If you wear your mask and your goggles and your gloves and you maintain appropriate protective equipment and protection, there's really nothing to worry about, from the bodies,” said Dr. Poirier.
The CDC says people who die of COVID-19 can be buried or cremated.
As far as attending a funeral, the CDC says there is no known risk associated with being in the same room as a body.
But there could be a risk if you touch the body, such as hand-holding, kissing or hugging.
If you have something you want us to verify, email the five on your side verify team at verify@ksdk.com.
