Bodies of people who died healthy do not spread disease.
People handling bodies face a small risk, and should practice basic hygiene (especially handwashing) to minimize risk.
In crisis-struck areas, the dead are sometimes hastily buried in mass graves, due to fears their bodies spread disease. However, this is not true, unless there is a contagious disease in the population.
Burying the bodies in haste makes identification difficult, is a waste of resources, and interferes with the grieving process for survivors and relatives.
References
- Do dead bodies in Haiti pose a health risk? - BBC, 19 January 2010