How to deal with a deceased person with infectious diseases in France?

To avoid any risk of infection, health precautions must be followed when handling a deceased person affected by a so-called "infectious" disease. What are these precautions?

Which diseases are considered infectious in France?

The decree of July 12, 2017, specifies all infectious diseases requiring special funeral procedures (indicated in Article R2213-2-1 of the General Code of Local Authorities).

The transmissible diseases concerned are as follows:

• Orthopoxvirus, including smallpox

• Cholera

• The plague

• Anthrax

• Severe and contagious viral hemorrhagic fevers, such as yellow fever and Ebola

• Rabies

• Tuberculosis

• Any transmissible infectious disease (severe acute respiratory syndrome...)

• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

• Any severe septic condition

• Infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, also called COVID-19

How are deceased individuals with an infectious disease handled in France?

When a death occurs, the doctor declares the death and determines (among other things) whether the deceased person has been affected by any of the diseases mentioned earlier. If so, the funeral services follow a specific procedure.

For all deceased individuals affected by one of the diseases mentioned above:

• Embalming or preservation treatments cannot be performed (Article 4 of the decree of July 12, 2017).

• The body must be wrapped in a shroud soaked in an antiseptic solution (Article R. 2213-27 of the General Code of Local Authorities).

• The infectious nature of the disease does not preclude scientific sampling or medical autopsy or the retrieval of battery-powered prostheses before the body is placed in a casket (Article 5 of the decree of July 12, 2017).

For deceased individuals with orthopoxvirus, cholera, plague, anthrax, or a viral hemorrhagic fever:

• The body is immediately placed in an airtight casket.

• The casket must also be equipped with a gas purifier that meets the characteristics defined in Article R. 2213-27 of the General Code of Local Authorities.

For deceased individuals with rabies with tuberculosis, or a transmissible infectious disease:

For these infectious diseases, the deceased person is immediately placed in a simple casket that meets the characteristics defined in Article R. 2213-25 of the General Code of Local Authorities.

Deaths caused by COVID-19 fall into this category. You can find more information on handling a death caused by COVID-19 in our dedicated guide.

For deceased individuals with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease:

Finally, for a deceased person affected by Creutzfeldt-Jakob infectious disease or suspected of being affected, the maximum time allowed for body transportation before placing it in a casket may be waived under the conditions provided for in Article R. 2213-14 of the General Code of Local Authorities. This then allows the forensic doctor to perform a medical autopsy as defined in Article L. 1211-2 of the Public Health Code. The doctor can thus determine whether the deceased person was affected by the disease, and the judge will then decide on the follow-up measures.