Public Health will be making changes to its protocols for funerals for COVID-19 casualties after KUAM News confirmed the body of a person who died of COVID-19 in Hawaii has been flown to Guam for a funeral here. Agency officials told KUAM this flies in the face of CDC protocols for all US jurisdictions relative to dealing with COVID corpses.

"If anyone on Guam passes away from COVID-related illnesses, we must dispense of the body or inter it respectfully the decedent within 24 hours. We can either cremate or have a conventional burial - but that is 24 hours at the point of death on the death certificate," noted Public Health's Alex Silverio. He confirms the body was sent to a local funeral home, and that the funeral home was also awaiting the shipment of another COVID cadaver from Seattle next week.

KUAM has also learned the body was in a casket and dressed for a funeral - something that Silverio said is also not in line with CDC protocols.

"The body, upon death, is immediately put in a human remains pouch - it's zipped-up and the body would be buried as-is. No family member can come and see the person, no one can view the body, so that's a very painful part of this," he shared.

SIlverio told KUAM the Governor's Office has taken the lead on this, and he deferred comment to Adelup.

However Adelup Press Secretary Krystal Paco-San Agustin said DPHSS was made aware that CDC protocols for the handling of COVID fatalities have changed, and those protocols no longer require cremation or burial within 24 hours.

That new CDC guideline was released on July 25.