The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) in Canada has resorted to storing bodies in a refrigerated trailer after a morgue being used reached its capacity amid increasing COVID-19 deaths.
The morgue, the largest in southwestern Ontario, is reported to have exceeded capacity in recent days.
The forensic pathology unit at the hospital is also said to have reached its 28-bed capacity limit.
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, this is the second time that the hospital – which has so far recorded 108 deaths from the virus – has resorted to a mobile unit to store bodies of coronavirus patients.
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In a statement, Glen Kearns, a spokesperson of the facility, said the London Health Sciences Centre is “committed to the safe and respectful care and sheltering of bodies after death.”
“New processes due to the pandemic have resulted in increases in the time needed for securing appropriate arrangements, and have necessitated additional interim body holding solutions,” the official added.
“The use of an alternative body holding solution by LHSC is a temporary measure that has been implemented specifically to allow for continued support of the needs of our patients and their families, the regional coroner’s office and Ontario’s death investigation system.”
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Canada has confirmed 618,600 cases of the coronavirus as of Wednesday, out of which 16,200 have died and more than 520,000 recovered.
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