The South Coast Air Quality Management District said in a news release on Sunday that permits for crematoria usually include restrictions on the number of human remains that can be cremated each month, based on the potential impact it will have on air quality.
But at the request of both the Department of Obstetricians and the Department of Health, the agency has issued an emergency order suspending the conditions for the permit that limits the number of cremations, as long as crematoria submit an email and meet certain requirements.
“The current death rate is more than double that of the years of pre-pandemic, leading to hospitals, funeral homes and crematoria exceeding capacity without the ability to deal with the backlog in cases,” South Coast AQMD said in a statement. .
And according to the order, there is another increase in deaths approaching, fueled by the gatherings that took place during the New Year holidays.
The agency will be in force for ten days and can be extended.
Health officials in Los Angeles County reported Sunday that more than 13,800 people have died from Covid-19 since the pandemic began, and more than 7,400 are still hospitalized with the virus, 23% of which are in the ICU.
Late last week, health officials said in a news release that health workers and the ICU capacity remain ‘tense’.
“The most important action everyone should take to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives is to stay at home and not mix with other people who are not in your household,” the statement said.