The health department in Vigo County is reserving 4 refrigerated trucks to hold deceased victims of the coronavirus.
Last month, 181 county residents died—that’s nearly a 45 percent increase from the same month a year ago.
While the move is mentioned in their emergency preparedness plan, county health educator Roni Elder admits she can’t recall the last time such decisions were made.
"Realistically, if we keep up with this, then we will actually have to implement and use those refrigerated trucks," Elder said.
Vigo County’s positivity rate is currently at 12 percent after being near five percent in early October.
The number of new positive cases in the county, like much of the state, has surged in recent weeks.
Elder says the health department has regular conversations with local health systems.
Officials from Union Hospital in Terre Haute declined to comment on the hospital’s capacity or ability to deal with an influx of deceased patients.
Terre Haute Regional Hospital did not respond to a request for comment.
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