As the coronavirus cuts through NYC, a makeshift morgue is set up to house those who have died from the ill-effects of the virus in the Big Apple.
The current count of the cases is 15,597 and with 192, taken by the reaper and these stats were made available by the Johns Hopkins University. NYC Gov Andrew Cuomo told the public on Tuesday that cases are doubled every three days and the forecasters are comparing it to the bullet train.
Assembled near the Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital is the morgue to house the corpses of the COVID-19 fatalities on Tuesday. Made up of several white tents, two refrigerated trailers, an RV with 'Mobile Command Center - Medical Examiner' on the outside, reported the New York Post.
Sources that are connected to the setup told the newspaper several more refrigerated trailers are coming in, to add to what they have now and these tents and trailers are planned for other local hospitals in NYC.
The source added that this setup will be city-wide to cope with the coming wave of patients.
On 9/11, the Bellevue Hospital was the site where the dead was housed about two decades ago told the New York Post.
According to Bryan Llenas, the number of COVID-19 is hitting the roof.
Such grim updates in the New York outbreak was reported by Dr Deborah Birx, a top response coordinator for the White House's coronavirus task force.
To add, Vice President Mike Pence said that anyone coming from the New York City metropolitan area, should self-isolate for 14-days to be sure that they are not infected, and transmit the disease in their communities.
These makeshift morgues in NYC are part of greater preparation too.
Dr. Deborah Birx also stressed according to sources, that strict quarantining for all those who have been to NYC for 14-days, to keep the contagion from spreading. She echoed the message of Vice President Mike Pence, she also noted than 60% of new cases in the United States has come from NYC.
The US VP Mike Pence mentioned that New York is now a major hotspot and high risk as well, with more support coming to help NYC weather the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pence mentioned that public health officials are recording one case per 1000 people density, which is greater than Washington state which is where coronavirus took its first death, spread since them.
NYC is ready to process more dead as the COVID-19 gets more virulent
In preparation for more deaths to come, NYC is now adding 45 refrigerated truck trailers that can hold approximately 45 bodies in its hold, should the worst outcome of more deaths that might stress the capacity of city morgues and hospitals.
There is an expectation that with more refrigerated tents, about 3,600 bodies can be held which adds to the capacity of NYC to process more fatalities anticipated.
In lower Manhattan, workers have put up a large tent near the central morgue, confirmed by Aja Worthy-Davis, a spokeswoman for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. This adds to 800 to 900 bodies capacity with 5 city morgues.
She added that this is a precaution for the worst-case scenario, and stress it will not be needed.
Sources cite Michael Lanotte, executive director of the New York State Funeral Directors Association, saying these units are for the humane treatment of the victims before sent to funeral parlours.
Officials stress the need for these makeshift morgues in NYC, but hopefully, they will not be needed.
Related article: U.S. Can Be the Next Center of Coronavirus Outbreak, WHO Warns
