Monroe County is poised to open up a holding area to account for an anticipated shortage of mortuary space at local hospitals and funeral homes as coronavirus spreads through the community, county officials announced Tuesday.
The county expects to open the facility this week, according to an e-mail sent to news organizations by Julie Philipp, the county’s communications director. The so-called “Decedent Holding Area” will be located at the county’s fleet center on Paul Road in Chili and will be able to hold up to 128 decedents.
The extra space is needed not only due to an increase in local deaths related to COVID-19, but because funeral homes are limiting the number of services they hold in order to comply with social distancing practices and sanitation measures, Philipp explained. Those efforts are causing delays.
Also, some families are not able to currently have funerals due to various factors, including ill relatives, Philipp added.
Jeremy Moule is CITY’s news editor. He can be reached at jmoule@rochester-citynews.com.
This article appears in Apr 8-14, 2020.
