What capacity limits are forcing IPFN to use makeshift morgues?

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The National Institute of Forensic Medicine (IPFN) is facing capacity constraints in its morgue facilities due to a high number of Covid-19 related deaths, necessitating the use of temporary storage solutions.

The existing space within the IPFN morgue is insufficient to accommodate the increasing number of deceased individuals, particularly those who have succumbed to Covid-19. This shortfall has led to the utilization of containers repurposed as makeshift morgues, capable of holding between 12 to 20 bodies each. While the primary IPFN morgue has a capacity of up to 36 bodies, supplementary storage has been established at other healthcare facilities to manage the overflow.
Additional Morgue Capacity Utilised

To cope with the backlog, additional storage spaces have been activated at several hospitals. Tunku Azizah Hospital can accommodate up to 10 bodies, the Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospital has space for four, and the National Cancer Institute can store two bodies. These facilities, along with backup containers, are being used to house the deceased while awaiting final rites.
Challenges in Cremation and Burial Processes

The management of Covid-19 related deaths involves specific protocols that can extend the time before final rites can be performed. For cremations, the process is dependent on the availability of crematoriums, with the Klang Valley having only one facility managed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL). This facility also handles non-Covid-19 cremations, leading to waiting times. Furthermore, the cremation of Covid-19 deceased takes significantly longer, between two to three hours per body, compared to non-Covid-19 cases which take approximately 45 minutes to an hour.
Increasing Brought-In-Dead (BID) Cases

A significant concern highlighted is the rise in brought-in-dead (BID) cases attributed to the Covid-19 outbreak. In contrast to the early stages of the pandemic, where such deaths outside of hospital settings were rare, there are now daily occurrences of three to four BID cases. This trend suggests a rapid progression of the illness, leading to deaths before individuals can receive hospital treatment, a development described as "depressing" by a forensic pathologist.

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What capacity limits are forcing IPFN to use makeshift morgues?

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