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- A hospital system in central Florida has ordered 14 mobile morgues to deal with the overflow of COVID-19 deaths.
- These mobile morgues are also "quickly becoming filled" as coronavirus cases in Florida surge, Newsweek reported.
- On Friday, Florida reported 1,727 COVID-19 deaths in its weekly report – the most on record.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Central Florida hospitals have ordered mobile morgues to deal with the overflow of COVID-19 deaths now that standard morgues have reached full capacity, according to Newsweek.
AdventHealth, a Florida non-profit healthcare system that operates facilities across the US, ordered 14 portable morgues to account for 168 additional bodies, the media outlet said.
Newsweek reported the healthcare system announced in an email sent to Florida's emergency managers that it had "begun utilizing rented, refrigerated coolers at 10 of our campuses throughout Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, & Volusia counties."
According to the email, AdventHealth added that "these coolers are quickly becoming filled also."
The hospital attributed the need for mobile morgues to a "spike of seriously ill patients" and a "slowdown at local funeral homes." Newsweek said.
An AdventHealth statement sent to Newsweek said that the mobile morgues were being ordered to equip staff for the coming weeks and an expected worsening in Florida's coronavirus situation.
Insider contacted AdventHealth for comment but did not receive a response.
On Friday, Bloomberg said that the state reported 1,727 COVID-19 deaths in its latest weekly report - the most on record.
The New York Times reported that hospitalizations in Florida have almost tripled in the past month.
Last week, Insider's Lauren Frias wrote that Orlando officials urged residents to limit water use liquid oxygen for treating the water supply is being diverted to hospitals for COVID-19 patients.
"We have a robust emergency management program, which has allowed us to continue to care for our community during this surge with thorough planning and precautionary measures," Advent Health said in a statement to Newsweek.
"With the spike of seriously ill patients in our hospitals, it's prudent that we prepare for an increase in deaths and are putting resources in place to provide additional capacity if needed," the statement continued.
University of South Florida epidemiologist Jason Salemi told the Tampa Bay Times that fatalities are likely to continue to climb.