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Coronavirus scientists confirm first spread of the disease from a dead body

14 April 2020 16:25 (UTC +04:00)

Coronavirus scientists have confirmed the first spread of the disease from a dead body, APA reports citing The Sun.

A medical examiner in Thailand picked up the deadly virus from an infected body in March, according the Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine Study.

The study, published Sunday, claims it is the first report on "COVID-19 infection and death among medical personnel in a Forensic Medicine unit."

Won Sriwijitalai of the RVT Medical Center in Bangkok and Viroj Wiwanitkit of Hainan Medical University in China, the authors of the study, said forensic medicine professionals have a low chance of coming into contact with infected patients.

But there is a chance they can come in contact with "biological samples and corpses."

As of March 10, a forensic medicine professional and a nurse assistant were among COVID-19 patients in Thailand.

The authors wrote: "At present, there is no data on the exact number of COVID-19 contaminated corpses since it is not a routine practice to examine for COVID-19 in dead bodies in Thailand."

According to John Hopkins University data, the accumulated number of coronavirus cases in Thailand - the second country to be affected by COVID-19 - is now 2,579.

"Nevertheless, infection control and universal precautions are necessary. Forensic professionals have to wear protective devices including a protective suit, gloves, goggles, cap and mask," the authors added.

"The disinfection procedure used in operation rooms might be applied in pathology/forensic units too."

As morgues across countries become overwhelmed, funeral and medical workers have become fearful of dead bodies potentially carrying COVID-19.