Los Angeles County, California, will no longer be subjected to air quality regulations limiting the number of cremations that may be performed there.
Business Insider reports the South Coast Air Quality Management District said the regulation was lifted so officials could handle a 'backlog' of bodies.
Business Insider reports the move comes as a grim reminder of the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in California. The regulation has been lifted for 10 days, with the option to be extended.
As of January 15, there were more than 2,700 bodies being stored at hospitals in LA County and at the Coroner's office.
The current rate of death is more than double that of pre-pandemic years, leading to hospitals, funeral homes, and crematoriums exceeding capacity. South Coast Air Quality Management District