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The state of Texas has requested five mortuary trailers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) in preparation for an increase in COVID-19 deaths. The state requested the trailers on August 4 after studying data.
“We are anticipating a need within the state of Texas for these trailers as COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to increase,” Doug Loveday, a spokesperson for the Department of State Health Sevices, told NBC News.
The agency says that the request was made as a precaution. The number of deaths from COVID-19 has increased all over the United States as the virus takes on stronger forms — the Delta variant is responsible for more than half of new infections.
“We haven’t gotten any local request, but we want to be ready with the COVID cases in the state,” Van Deusen, a spokesperson for the Department of State Health Services, said.
144 deaths were recorded in Texas on Saturday. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state is averaging 80 deaths a day over the past seven days.
The trailers will be based in San Antonio and moved to other cities as they are needed. While San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said he was not aware of the request for the trailers, he said it “makes sense.”
“Deaths are starting to mount for sure,” the mayor’s spokesperson Bruce Davidson said.
Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott announced nine new centers statewide for COVID-19 infected individuals to receive monoclonal antibody infusions. The treatments from Regeneron have been shown to prevent hospitalization among less severe cases of COVID-19.
In May, the Governor signed an executive order banning both vaccine mandates and mask mandates. Local school districts are defying the order. However, a Supreme Court ruling has upheld the decision.
