Pandemic-hit Arizona, Texas counties order coolers, refrigerated trucks for bodies

Arizona and Texas counties are ordering coolers and refrigerated trailers to store bodies because their morgues fill up, authorities said on Thursday. Metro Health Assistant Director in San Antonio said the city of San Antonio in Texas has two refrigerator trailers that are already operational, and expect to have an additional three that will become operational by the end of the week.

on Thursday, Texas reported 10,457 new COVID-19 cases and a single-day record of 129 deaths. Arizona's Maricopa County is bringing in 14 coolers to hold up to 280 bodies and more than double morgue capacity ahead of an expected surge in coronavirus fatalities, officials said on Thursday. New York used dozens of refrigerated trailers in April because its daily COVID-19 deaths exceeded 700. The appearance of mobile morgues in Arizona and Texas reflects that now the pandemic appears to be spinning out of control in southern U.S. states.