Coronavirus News: 'Largest mass fatality incident' ever in New York City

COVID-19 News and Information

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Friday, September 18, 2020
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NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The number of deaths reported to New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner more than doubled in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the nation's largest city, according to a new report from the mayor's office.

"COVID-19 tragically represents the largest mass fatality incident in modern NYC history," the report said.

There were 65,712 deaths reported to OCME in 2020, compared to 30,964 a year earlier.

"The number of deaths reported to OCME increased, corresponding to the surge in NYC deaths during the pandemic," the report said.

Related: Global COVID-19 cases top 30 million, Johns Hopkins tally shows

The number of cremation requests jumped by 10,000 from 2019. OCME responded to 27,863 cremation requests, up from 17,148 last year.

"This increase came about during the months of March through June, where OCME received 16,115 requests, a number that approached the entire Fiscal 2019 total," the report said. "This increase corresponds to the surge in deaths NYC experienced during the pandemic to date."

About 24,000 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 in New York City.

Also Read: MTA says they've handed out 180,000 free face masks since start of $50 fine

The medical examiner's section in the mayor's management report is available here.

WATCH: Eyewitness to a Pandemic

Suddenly, the brutal death of George Floyd while in the custody of police officers in Minneapolis filled the streets of a nation with rage and sorrow. New York was no different. Protesters put the fear of the virus aside and took to the streets by the thousands. Abandoning the safety and comfort of social distance, to demand social change.

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