How bodies are prepared

State provincial officials that our team should be fully geared in personal protective equipment gear and the space we work at should be disinfected.”

The mortician said once the body was in a bag, it had to be moved from the mortuary or hospital to the burial site within 48 hours of death.

Twayi said the reason for only two members of the family seeing the body was to reduce the risk of infection.

“We are trying, with the government, to minimise contact with the remains because we are fighting to flatten the curve of the coronavirus,” he said.

He added that the body of someone who had died of Covid-19 looked the same as any other body.

“We must be mindful of the fact that if, for example, someone dies from diabetes, it is not infectious, but with coronavirus the situation is different.

“If you touch a body that has been confirmed to have Covid-19, that virus gets onto your hands. It is important to ensure the area we are working on is sanitised properly,” the mortician said.

Twayi said it was also important that the body was sanitised.

He encouraged people to stay at home. “This virus is deadly and the further we stay away from people, the better,” he said.