A detailed ministerial directive on handling the mortal remains of people who succumb to COVID-19 infections in hospital and at home has been gazetted, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch.
Immediately effective, it spells out the procedures to be followed by hospital staff and family members from the moment of death; those responsible for transporting the bodies; and by mortuaries and funeral undertakers. This is noting that municipalities “should ensure that the burial or cremation of COVID-19 mortal remains takes place in suitably approved cemeteries or crematoria”, and that areas are identified for mass burial “should the need … arise”.
Other issues covered include unclaimed bodies; the circumstances in which mass burials may be deemed necessary (in which case “government” would take the necessary decision); the machinery and equipment to be used in such situations; and environmental cleaning and control. Tragically, this explicit directive also deals with steps to be taken by poor households without the means to wash the clothing of deceased family members by machine. In that regard, direct contact with the water used should be avoided.
The directive then moves on to matters already dealt with more superficially in the disaster management regulations and other ministerial directives. They include quarantining people returning to South Africa, along with any transportation crew choosing to disembark; the designation of quarantine facilities; transport to these facilities; the services and equipment to be available; control measures to be taken by municipalities at all public places; and "the evacuation of foreign nationals".
[link url="https://legalbrief.co.za/diary/legalbrief-today/policy-watch/covid-19-crisis-new-directive-on-handling-covid-19-mortal-remains/#redirect"]Full Legalbrief Policy Watch report[/link]
[link url="https://legalbrief.co.za/media/filestore/2020/05/43350_25-5_Health.pdf"]Directive[/link]