Do dead bodies pose a public health threat?
No. There is no risk of a communicable disease outbreak or any other public health threat associated with the presence of dead bodies. However, there is a clear mental and psychosocial imperative that we have to take into consideration when supporting the fast and proper management of dead bodies. Dead bodies in the streets are being taken to a central location for eventual identification and burial. It is important to avoid mass burials and to respect the rights of families to know the fates of their lost loved ones. For more information, go to www.paho.org/disasters.
