Rise in temporary mortuary numbers
As January’s SAIFInsight went to print, the impact of the second wave of COVID-19 was beginning to be felt.
Surrey was the first county to use its temporary mortuary as the region’s hospital mortuaries reached capacity, despite being able to store 600 deceased people.
The temporary Headley Court in Leatherhead has room for 845. During the first wave from March to May, 700 people had been stored at the facility. However, from late December to mid January more than 300 people had been held in the property as the effects of the new mutation of the virus hit Surrey.
More than half of those being cared for had COVID-19 as a cause of death.
The BBC visited the facility earlier in January.
Tags: coronavirus, COVID-19, Leatherhead, mortuary, pandemic, Surrey, temporary