Muhammad Belal Hossain,

I don't think there's enough evidence available to this date, to estimate the viability of SARS-CoV-2 in the deceased according to:

https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/COVID-19-safe-handling-of-bodies-or-persons-dying-from-COVID19.pdf

As mentioned in Page 2, and under the title "Specific risks related to the handling bodies of deceased persons with suspected or confirmed COVID-19":

"There is no evidence so far of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the handling of bodies of deceased persons. The potential risk of transmission related to the handling of bodies of deceased persons with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 is considered low and can be related to:

* direct contact with human remains or bodily fluids where the virus is present

* direct contact with contaminated fomites.

As viable SARS-CoV-2 may persist on surfaces for days, there is the possibility that the virus also persists on deceased bodies."

The interim guidance released by the WHO titled "Infection Prevention and Control for the safe management of a dead body in the context of COVID-19":

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331538/WHO-COVID-19-lPC_DBMgmt-2020.1-eng.pdf

Also mentions that:

"Except in cases of hemorrhagic fevers (such as Ebola, Marburg) and cholera, dead bodies are generally not infectious. Only the lungs of patients with pandemic influenza, if handled improperly during an autopsy, can be infectious. Otherwise, cadavers do not transmit disease. It is a common myth that persons who have died of a communicable disease should be cremated, but this is not true. Cremation is a matter of cultural choice and available resources."

Hope that answers your question.

Thank you for your answer, very helpful. Yes, there is no sufficient data to date on viability of SARS-CoV2 in the respiratory tract of the deceased, however, I guess more data will be coming out very soon.

Muhammad Belal Hossain,

You're most welcome.

Good morning to all participant.

This is a very interesting question because of the presence of SARS-CoV/2 in GI & feces is confirmed (as also for many other Human respiratory CoV).

This is a key element for the correct evaluation of management of COVID19 positive human for:

personal wc service use

cut of possible oral-fecal way of diffusion-contagion

revision of quarantine duration

tests both naso-oro-throat and intestinal

The elements (and more) are discussed in this open RG question about the dramatic situation of my country (ITA: Lombardia)

https://www.researchgate.net/post/The_novel_Coronavirus_in_N_Italy_Lombardia_COVID19_2019nCoV_SARSCoV2_shows_a_fatality_rate_compatible_with_SARS-MERS_Why