Mandaue City gov’t provides mortuary freezer for residents who die of coronavirus

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Mandaue City government purchased a mortuary freezer van where remains of patients who died from the coronavirus disease could be safely stored while waiting to be cremated.

Mayor Jonas Cortes inspected the mortuary freezer van on Monday, July 6, with representatives from the Department of Health.

The mortuary freezer van can accommodate 40 bodies and will be installed at the Mandaue City Hospital this week.

“This is done by the Mandaue City government in order to lessen the anguish and stress of Mandaue residents in looking for places to store the bodies of their dearly departed when they should be mourning for their dead,” Mandaue City Public Information Office said.

Storage services in private hospitals cost between P1,000 and P5,000 a day. The city government, however, provides the service for free for residents with the mortuary freezer. Cremation services are also free for indigent residents who succumb to coronavirus-related illnesses.

Meanwhile, the city government received a “portal” rapid temperature screening and full body disinfection machine from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, Inc.

The portal provides an efficient temperature check and disinfection process by simply passing through the high-tech machine.

The Mandaue City PIO posted a live video on its official Facebook page for the public to see how the machine operates and “encourage” a safe workspace.

As of Sunday, July 5, Mandaue City has 1,036 confirmed COVID-19 cases. – Rappler.com