NYC Morgues, Funeral Homes Face 'Bottleneck of Bodies'

Funeral homes in New York City are dealing with a surge of deaths due to the coronavirus and there is fear that the situation could spiral out of control.

With roughly 1,100 COVID-19 deaths in New York City alone, funeral directors are overwhelmed and funeral services only include immediate family members in order to control the spread of the virus, CNN reported.

Mike Lanotte, the director of the New York State Funeral Directors Association, told CNN, "We are doubling the death toll on a daily basis."

Several hospitals now have refrigeration trucks parked outside to store COVID-19 victims' bodies, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sending more trucks to help in the effort.

Lanotte told CNN, "The problem is funeral directors and cemeteries have decided to reduce staff because of COVID-19 and they are burying fewer people per day, you are going to have a bottleneck of bodies if they are unable to bury in a timely manner.

"Worst case scenario would be similar to the churches in Italy with caskets stacked on top of each other. I'm not saying we are there, but no one wants to get there."

The coronavirus pandemic may kill as many as 240,000 Americans, the White House announced Tuesday.

• DHS Officials: Federal Stockpile of Protective Gear Almost Empty
• Dr. Birx: Half a Million Coronavirus Tests Not Being Utilized