Preparing and Packing Dead Body for Transfer
For transfer from a patient room to an autopsy unit, mortuary, crematorium, or burial site:
- Ensure that personnel who interact with the body (health care or mortuary staff, or the burial team).
- Apply standard precautions, including hand hygiene before and after interaction with the body, and the environment; and use appropriate PPE according to the level of interaction with the body.
- Prepare the body for transfer including removal of all lines, catheters and other tubes.
- Ensure that any body fluids leaking from orifices are contained.
- Keep both the movement and handling of the body to a minimum.
- Wrap body in cloth and transfer it as soon as possible to the mortuary area
- There is no need to disinfect the body before transfer to the mortuary area
- Body bags are not necessary, although they may be used for other reasons (e.g. excessive body fluid leakage)
- No special transport equipment or vehicle is required.