The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is considering the purchase of a mobile freezer to store dead bodies as the mortuary at the Scarborough General Hospital is now full.
The island is grappling with a spike in covid19 deaths.
In the last 10 days Tobago recorded 26 deaths – including a record five on Sunday. The morgue at the hospital has 18 drawers.
There have been 167 covid19 deaths in Tobago.
In an interview with Newsday on Monday, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine pleaded with the public to be safe.
He said, “Our morgue is full at the hospital, a lot of people are dying of covid19. We are looking to bring in a temporary freezer container to be able to assist in housing the dead, that is where we are at now.”
A TRHA source told Newsday all the drawers are full and bodies are being placed side by side.
The source said families of the deceased are being asked to take their loved ones quickly.
“We have to take more bodies in.
"Families, we cannot wait for you to make the decision on what is next. We understand you are grieving but the situation is dire. We have been forcing people’s hand because there is no time to grieve. Funeral homes can’t hold bodies for the mortuary. It’s becoming overwhelming.”
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