As New York deals with the surge of COVID-19 deaths, New York City is finding ways to bury victims at increased rates.
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the number of patients and victims have overwhelmed hospitals and morgues in New York. For nearly two centuries, New York City's Hart Islandhas been a burial place for thousands whose bodies were either unclaimed or whose families could not afford other options.
In New York, the medical examiner's office has a capacity of 800 to 900 bodies, and will typically only hold them for 14 days before they are sent to Hart Island.
But according to New York City's pandemic surge plan, if the city's morgue exceeds capacity, the bodies of coronavirus victims can be sent to Hart Island for temporary interment quicker than the usual two weeks.
Hart Island usually sees 25 burials a week. Now, around 24 bodies a day are being buried five days a week. It is unclear if that increase is from coronavirus victims, or if they are bodies from morgues trying to create more space.
New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio took to Twitter to clarify that there will be no "mass burials" at Hart Island, and said "everything will be individual" so the bodies can be recovered if need be.
