

One of two refrigerated trucks at the Wayne County Medical Examiner's office. (Photo: Violet Ikonomova)

The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office is preparing for a surge in dead bodies as confirmed coronavirus cases continue to climb, and has brought in two refrigerated trucks to meet demand.

With the morgue only two-thirds full, the semi-trailer units have yet to be used, a spokesman for the county health department tells Deadline Detroit. But the office expects to soon fill the trucks and then some; it has already identified space for additional storage.

"This is an unprecedented time, which requires proactive solutions," said county health spokesman Michael McElrath.

McElrath said there would be additional "back up storage facilities," but did not provide further detail. The Free Press reports a third and fourth truck are on the way.

The trucks fit 35-40 bodies each. The morgue holds 300.

Detroit's death toll reached 221 on Tuesday, more than twice what it was last Thursday. State and city officials have said expect they expect the situation to worsen in the coming weeks.

There's no deadline for residents to pick up bodies from the office and referals will be made for those struggling to pay for final arrangements. The state, for example, has a program to help cover burial or cremation costs.

According to a 2019 Associated Press report on poor Detroit families who've been priced out of funerals, no-frills burials start at $1,300. Simple cremations without services and memorials reportedly start at about $650.