South Africa is drawing up plans to protect the country’s water supply from contamination if mass burials become a necessity due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, writes Kim Harrisberg
Accessing land that is environmentally safe for mass graves is an arduous process, say environmental experts, who warn that the current space in the country’s cemeteries won’t be sufficient if the death toll from the virus spikes dramatically.Researchers have noted that little is known about how long Covid-19 survives in water, and sudden, poorly planned mass burials could result in the virus or other pathogens passing into water supplies.
While finding enough physical space for a mass burial site is a priority, the depth and location of graves, and how bodies are buried, are critical to ensuring that water sources do not get contaminated. “We cannot have last-minute plans to deal with mass burials,” said Dass. “We need to ensure we are prepared for what may come next.”
While similar to the guidelines already in place for standard burials, the new recommendations take into consideration last-minute measures such as potentially expropriating neighbouring land to add it to existing cemeteries. “People will go to a cemetery to use its water and electricity supply if they do not have this closer to home,” he said, thus putting them at further risk of ingesting contaminants.
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