Coronavirus News: NYC considers temporary burials if deaths become overwhelming

Monday, April 6, 2020
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City could begin burying the city's overwhelming number of dead people in temporary graves, but the Mayor's Office disputed tweets by Councilman Mark Levine on Monday that suggested parks could be used.

City morgues and hospitals are struggling to keep up with the deaths from coronavirus.

"Soon we'll start "temporary internment". This likely will be done by using a NYC park for burials (yes you read that right). Trenches will be dug for 10 caskets in a line," Levine tweeted. "It will be done in a dignified, orderly--and temporary--manner. But it will be tough for NYers to take."

Levine added later that this is "a contingency NYC is preparing for BUT if the death rate drops enough it will not be necessary."



"We are NOT currently planning to use local parks as burial grounds. We are exploring using Hart Island for temporary burials, if the need grows," mayor spokesperson Freddi Goldstein said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio was asked about the possibility during a morning news conference at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, but he declined to go into details out of response for the families.

"I'm not going to go into those kind of details, I'm only going to say we will have the capacity we need. What I said over the weekend, we may very well be dealing with temporary burials. So we can then deal with each family later. But again, I'm just not going into detail, when we have something to say on it, we will," the Mayor said.

When asked again what a "temporary burials," would mean, the Mayor was reluctant to go into further detail.

"Again, it is what it says, if we need to do temporary burials to be able to tie this over, to pass the crisis, and then to work with each family on their appropriate arrangements, we have the ability to do that," he added.

De Blasio later added that historically the place the city has "used is Hart Island," but reiterated again that although there may be delays, New York City still has the capacity to deal with the influx of dead.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner also told ABC News there are no plans currently to bury coronavirus victims in New York City parks.

For the moment temporary burials, as the mayor mentioned, would occur on Hart's Island off the Bronx.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVERAGE



Where are the testing centers

See how our communities are making a difference
Free educational resources for parents and children
How you can help victims of coronavirus



Coronavirus news and live updates in New York
Coronavirus news and live updates in New Jersey

Coronavirus news and live updates in Connecticut
New York City updates
Long Island updates



How coronavirus is leaving ghost towns in its path
Coronavirus prevention: how clean are your hands?

Social distancing: What is it and how does it stop the spread of coronavirus?
Coronavirus closures and cancelations
Coronavirus tips: What Americans need to know

Related Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus
Total count of COVID-19 cases based on patient address
Copyright © 2024 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.