New York authorities have resorted to digging mass graves to address the problem of overflowing city morgues, causing the need for civil construction contractors.
Coronavirus has caused a surge in deaths, with 24 people per day being buried on Hart Island. The number was recently only 25 per week.
Special labor has been hired to dig the graves in order to keep up with the dead.
Special Construction Needed
In the past, such grave diggings were performed by inmates at New York’s Riker’s Island prison. But due to COVID-19 concerns, special contractors have been brought in instead.
The mass graves are spread along major trenches, requiring specialized skills and equipment.
Each body is first wrapped in a body bag. Then, it is placed in a wooden casket alongside other bodies. Caskets do have the deceased person’s name on them, providing identification if they are disinterred at some point later on.
Hart Island has a storied history as a Potter’s Field used for burials since the 19th century. When deceased people in New York don’t have a family member claim them, they often end up here.
Death Toll Not Slowing Down
Coronavirus has already claimed over 100,000 lives around the world. In fact, the death toll in New York state is 5,820 by itself according to official reports.
Many believe the true death numbers are higher due to the amount of people that had already died before COVID-19 testing was available.
The numerous dead bodies are being transported using large fleets of freezer trucks. Previous methods were proving insufficient. And additional civil construction may be required to create the large trenches.
In addition, the city has enacted another measure. Bodies typically sit in the morgue for a full 30 days before being moved to Hart Island if unclaimed. Because of the overwhelming nature of the coronavirus death count, they have adjusted that number to 14 days.
Possible to See Loved Ones After Pandemic
If a family member does discover their loved one is on Hart Island, they may arrange a visitation. But for now, any visitation is delayed because of the necessary social distancing rules in place to respond to the pandemic.
Many are calling into question just how many additional bodies can fit on Hart Island. There are already 1 million bodies laid to rest on the island.
Parks May Be In Use For Graves
This limited space has created rumors surrounding the usage of city parks to bury additional bodies. Both the Mayor and Governor have shot down these rumors.
Some citizens remain unconvinced by their rebuttal. And the constant photos of freezer trucks and mass graves seem to have struck a nerve with city residents. Many are taking to social media to condemn the practice.
While the current situation caused by COVID-19 seems dire, it could call for even larger amounts of reliable commercial construction for new graves. New York may have the most cases, but it may not be the only city to see even more tragic deaths as a result of the pandemic.
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