HOSPITALS are taking swabs from the bodies of non-Covid-19 deaths, especially in cases where the cause of death is suspicious, said sources working in public healthcare.

“Yes, for cases with a high degree of suspicion,” one source told The Malaysian Insight.

Another source said hospitals “across the board” have started Covid-19 tests during the post-mortem for such deaths.

The Malaysian Insight understands that the swabs are taken to ensure that the deceased is virus-free to prevent those managing the dead from getting infected.

There are also procedures to follow in the disposal of Covid-19 bodies.

The testing at the post-mortem stage also allows the Health Ministry to ensure that Covid-19 deaths do not go undetected.

At least one Covid-19 death was detected posthumously – that of an unidentified man found dead in Kota Kinabalu on April 6.

Samples taken during the autopsy confirmed that he had the coronavirus, the Health Ministry said in a statement on April 14.

Prior to that, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said on April 10 that the virus was found on the surface of a body during a post-mortem conducted on a Covid-19 victim.

“The National Forensic Centre conducted the post-mortem and discovered that the virus was detected on the surface of the body,” he said.

Under the ministry’s protocols for the handling of Covid-19 victims’ funerals, the body must not be removed from the body bag, not even for any religious or cultural ritual.

“Whatever needs to be done must only be done on the body bag,” Noor Hisham said.

The Malaysian Insight has contacted Noor Hisham to confirm whether the Covid-19 tests done during autopsies have been formalised as part of the protocol but has not yet received any response. – April 29, 2020.