As coronavirus deaths mount, New York City examines 'temporary burials' on Hart Island, official says

New York City is looking into ways to temporarily bury the dead because of the mounting coronavirus death toll, a spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday.

"We are exploring using Hart Island for temporary burials, if the need grows," spokesperson Freddi Goldstein  said on Twitter. 

She issued the statement after Mark Levine, a New York City Council member, wrote on social media that the city was considering temporarily burying the dead in trenches dug in a city park.

"We are NOT currently planning to use local parks as burial grounds," Goldstein said.

A spokesperson for the city Office of Chief Medical Examiner, or OCME, addressed the issue in an email to USA TODAY Network.

"We are only conducting city burial at Hart Island at this time," Aja Worthy-Davis said, referring to the island that has a history of being used by New York City for burials of the indigent and unclaimed dead.

"We are planning for all possibilities, however no decision has been made, and there is still adequate capacity at this time," Worthy-Davis said.

Levine addressed the issue through a series of statements on Twitter.

"Soon we'll start 'temporary interment.' This likely will be done by using a NYC park for burials (yes you read that right)," he wrote on Twitter before Goldstein said there were no plans for such action.

The city would not have to pursue the temporary burials if the death rate from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, drops enough, Levine wrote later on Twitter, calling temporary interment a "contingency plan."

New York City entered a crucial week in its battle against the pandemic. The city's COVID-19 death toll has surpassed 3,000, straining the city's medical infrastructure.

Levine did not immediately respond to an interview request.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday afternoon he was unaware of Levine's comments.

"I have not heard anything about the city burying people in parks," Cuomo said during a news briefing.

Follow reporter David Robinson on Twitter:@DrobinsonLoHud

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