With the morgue at London Health Sciences Centre now at capacity, the hospital is using an alternative solution to hold bodies for the time being.
The pathology unit at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) has reached its maximum capacity of 28 bodies. As a result, the hospital is using a refrigerated trailer as a temporary way to increase capacity.
The pathology unit provides forensic autopsy support to the regional coroners’ office and Ontario’s death investigation system, as well as hospital autopsy services when necessary.
According to a statement by Integrated VP, Diagnostics Services and Chief Information Officer Glen Kearns, the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the process needed for coroners and bereaved families to make after-death arrangements. He said this has resulted in capacity challenges within the pathology program.
"New processes due to the pandemic have resulted in increases in the time needed for securing appropriate arrangements and have necessitated additional interim body holding solutions," Kearns explained. "The use of an alternative body holding solution by LHSC is a temporary measure that has been implemented specifically to allow for continued support of the needs of our patients and their families, the regional coroners’ office and Ontario’s death investigation system."
In addition to being a temporary solution, Kearns also stressed that having to use a refrigerated trailer to deal with capacity concerns is not a common occurrence for the hospital.
"To date, we have rarely used the alternative body holding solution," he said. "This is only the second time we have had to use the mobile service since the start of the pandemic and we expect the capacity challenge to be resolved within days.”
As of Tuesday, 112 individuals have died in London-Middlesex as a result of COVID-19 with 10 deaths reported since the start of 2021.