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Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002)

Notices

Directions from the Department of Health to prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19

10. Measures when a person passes on at home

 

(1) In the event that a person dies at home of COVID-19, the person or persons attending to the mortal remains must not, at any stage, handle the mortal remains.

 

(2) Emergency Medical Services must be called immediately to declare the person dead, before removal by an undertaker.

 

(3) The deceased person's apparel and other articles on the deceased person's body must be handled with gloves and cleaned with a detergent followed by disinfection with a solution of at least 70% ethanol or 0.1% (1000 ppm) bleach.

 

(4) Clothing and other fabric worn by the deceased must be machine washed with warm water at 60°-90°C (140-194°F) and laundry detergent.

 

(5) If machine washing is not possible, linens may be soaked in hot water and soap in a large drum using a stick to stir while being careful to avoid splashing.

 

(6) The drum must then be emptied, and the linens must be soaked in 0.05% chlorine for approximately 30 minutes. Finally, the laundry must be rinsed with clean water and the linens must be allowed to dry in full sunlight.

 

(7) A specimen must be taken from a person who died outside of a health facility, excluding death as a result of trauma, by a—
(a) medical practitioner when certifying a death at home;
(b) medical practitioner at a funeral parlour when certifying a death; or
(c) mortician or professional nurse at a funeral parlour.

[Direction 10(7) inserted by section 2 of Notice No. 1278, GG43954, dated 3 December 2020]