Dubai: Body found floating in sea for 30 days tests positive for Covid

Dubai - It was one of two Covid-positive dead bodies that the Dubai Police examined.

After examining two deaths recently, forensic doctors of the Dubai Police found that the Covid-19 virus remains active in a dead body for up to a month.

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In one of the two cases, the person had drowned and the body was found to have been floating in the sea for more than 30 days. In the other case, the body had been in the mortuary for 17 days before the necessary measures were taken. Both bodies tested positive for Covid-19, a Dubai Police officer revealed.

Maj Dr Ahmed Al Hashemi, director of the Forensic Medicine Department at the General Department of Criminal Evidence and Criminology of the Dubai Police, told Arabic daily Al Bayan that they have documented the examinations and are looking forward to publishing their discovery in specialised journals.

Based on existing research, most viruses die with a human death, so this finding offers a different view, Maj Al Hashemi was quoted as saying.

Amid the pandemic, forensic procedures of the Dubai Police required the team to test dead bodies for the coronavirus, in addition to other examinations. All precautionary measures are taken for the team’s safety.

Maj Al Hashemi had said all their forensic procedures are properly recorded and results are documented as part of the department’s efforts to help the global community. The team takes every opportunity to share their discoveries and best practices through international conferences and other platforms.

• Dubai