As death rate doubles during COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles County cremation limits are lifted

LOS ANGELES (KABC) – The death rate during the COVID-19 pandemic is so high in Los Angeles County that an emergency order has been issued to lift environmental restrictions on the number of cremations that can be performed each month.

According to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the mortality rate in the region is double what it was before the pandemic, leading to a significant backlog of hospitals, funeral homes and crematoriums.

The AQMD is temporarily lifting environmental restrictions on cremations to catch up with bodies waiting to be removed and cremated.

The 10-day waiver was granted at the request of the Los Angeles County Medical-Examiner Coroner and the County Department of Public Health.

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“The current mortality rate is more than double that in pre-pandemic years, leading to hospitals, funeral homes and crematoriums exceeding capacity without the ability to process the backlog in cases,” the AQMD said.

Los Angeles County has reported 13,848 deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, including 108 additional deaths on Sunday. The province has reported a total of more than 1 million cases.

Funeral homes and cemeteries report having to send families away because of the number of funerals they hold.

Even Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary in Whittier – the country’s largest cemetery – says it struggles to keep up with demand.

The 2,500-acre cemetery has seen its daily ring volume double and the burial process now takes at least a month, when it would normally take 5-7 days. Some families report waiting for hours to reach someone in the cemetery.