Despite years of belief to the contrary, new research has found that the presence of dead bodies after a natural disaster is not a source for epidemics or a risk to the health of survivors. According to an article in the Pan American Journal of Public Health, “There is no evidence that, following a natural disaster, dead bodies pose a risk of epidemics.”

In fact, the article states, a rush to bury bodies following a disaster can “leave survivors with doubts concerning the whereabouts of a family member and make it harder for survivors to mourn their loss. When bodies are not identified, a surviving spouse or child can be left in a legal limbo.”

The article also says that despite popular convention, buried bodies are not a threat to ground water and do not contaminate drinking water.

This is particularly interesting, considering that news reports of the flooding in Hati have talked about the danger of the dead bodies.