Coronavirus corpses don’t infect people – Presidential task force
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday said the bodies of persons, who died of coronavirus, are not infectious, following the violation of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control’s protocols at the burial of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, on Saturday.
Recall NCDC urged Nigerians to avoid large gatherings to stop the spread of the deadly virus.
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Dr Sani Aliyu, the National Coordinator of the task force, who made this known at a media briefing of the PTF in Abuja, stated that, the dead bodies are generally not infectious, except in the cases of viral hemorrhagic fever and cholera.
At the briefing, while apologizing for some PTF members’ violation, Aliyu, “The bodies of persons with COVID-19, as stated by the WHO guidelines and I quote, ‘Except in cases of viral hemorrhagic fever and cholera, dead bodies are generally not infectious.’
Adding that,“To date, there is no evidence of persons having become infected from exposure to the bodies of persons who have died of COVID-19.’”
He also revealed that, members of the task force, who attended the crowded burial, have been heavily criticised for disregarding the NCDC protocols for burial of corpses of people that die of COVID-19.
Dignitaries at the burial included Mustapha, Aliyu; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.
Kyari, who had been undergoing treatment at the First Cardiology Consultants Hospital, Lagos died of COVID-19 on Friday and was buried at Gudu cemetery, Abuja on Saturday.
The National Coordinator of the PTF, Aliyu, assured the public that the task force would continue to follow its guidelines.
He added that the NCDC guidelines for COVID-19 were reflective of the World Health Organisation’s guidelines.
