Forensic pathologists and COVID-19

During a pandemic, forensic pathologists are closely involved in managing the crisis. Their role is to ensure the proper management of dead bodies, minimizing the spread of the virus, and to guide authorities, hospitals and funeral directors about the “do’s and don'ts” of dealing with these bodies. How stressful has their job been of late and do we have enough of these medical detectives to meet our needs? Professor Johan Dempers, who heads the division of forensic medicine and pathology at Stellenbosch University and the Western Cape Forensic Pathology Service based in Tygerberg, speaks on this.