Regulations governing the disposal of Covid-19 mortal remains

If your loved one passes away due to Covid-19, you may not be able to view or touch the body… This is according to the government gazette on Human Remains Regulations (HRR).
The regulation states that the handling, transportation, importation, exportation and final disposal of Covid-19 mortal remains should be conducted only in accordance with HRR.
This means that all persons handling Covid-19 mortal remains should wear suitable personal protective clothing at all times; should practice good personal hygiene; and no person may at any given time make contact with or touch the mortal remains without wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
The regulation also stated that metropolitan and local municipalities should ensure that the burial or cremation of Covid-19 mortal remains takes place in suitably approved cemeteries or crematoria, respectively, and that metropolitan and district municipalities should ensure that they identify areas that may be utilised for mass burial should the need arise.

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The rules for mortuaries and / or funeral undertakers are that a body bag should be used for transferring the body to the mortuary and those handling the body at this point should use full PPE.
The outer surface of the body bag should be decontaminated immediately before the body bag leaves the ward or anteroom area and may require at least two individuals wearing protective clothing in order to manage this process.
The viewing of the body by family will only be allowed (one at a time) at the mortuary, and family must be provided with masks and gloves for the viewing and should not touch the body with bare hands.
No washing of a body is allowed out of the mortuary or funeral undertaker’s premises.
If the family wishes to dress the body, they may do so at the funeral undertaker’s premises prior to the body being placed in the body bag and those carrying out the task should wear PPE such as gloves, masks and waterproof coverall apron; all PPE used must be disposed of immediately.
When a person passes on at home, the regulations state that family members must not, at any stage, handle the body. An EMS must be called immediately to confirm death before removal by an undertaker.
The belongings of the deceased should be handled with gloves and cleaned with a detergent, followed by disinfection with a solution of at least 70% ethanol or bleach. Clothing and other fabric belongings of the deceased should be machine washed with warm water at 60-90 degrees Celsius and laundry detergent.
If machine washing is not possible, linens can be soaked in hot water and soap in a large drum, using a stick to stir and being careful to avoid splashing.
The drum should be emptied and the linens soaked in 0.05% chlorine for approximately 30 minutes.
The laundry should be rinsed with clean water and be allowed to dry in full sunlight.
A funeral undertaker must deliver the mortal remains on the morning of burial and not the night before the burial, and must ensure that the remains are not touched during viewing.
Cremation is highly recommended where a person has passed on due to Covid-19.