This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/29/nyregion/bodies-brooklyn-funeral-home-coronavirus.html
The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Dozens of Decomposing Bodies Found in Trucks at Brooklyn Funeral Home | Dozens of Decomposing Bodies Found in Trucks at Brooklyn Funeral Home |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The call came in at shortly after 11 a.m. on Wednesday: A terrible stench was coming from a pair of trucks parked outside a funeral home on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn. | The call came in at shortly after 11 a.m. on Wednesday: A terrible stench was coming from a pair of trucks parked outside a funeral home on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn. |
| When the police arrived, they made a gruesome discovery. Inside the trucks — a U-Haul rental and what seemed to be a tractor-trailer — were several dozen decomposing bodies. | When the police arrived, they made a gruesome discovery. Inside the trucks — a U-Haul rental and what seemed to be a tractor-trailer — were several dozen decomposing bodies. |
| The New York State Department of Health, which regulates funeral homes, was also called to the scene, in the borough’s Flatlands section, to determine whether the funeral home was handling the remains appropriately, and it issued two summonses, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. | The New York State Department of Health, which regulates funeral homes, was also called to the scene, in the borough’s Flatlands section, to determine whether the funeral home was handling the remains appropriately, and it issued two summonses, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. |
| The spectacle of dead New Yorkers left to decay in broad daylight in rental trucks on a crowded street in Brooklyn underscored the scale of challenge facing the city as it tries to absorb the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 17,000 people in New York City have died so far from Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. | The spectacle of dead New Yorkers left to decay in broad daylight in rental trucks on a crowded street in Brooklyn underscored the scale of challenge facing the city as it tries to absorb the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 17,000 people in New York City have died so far from Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. |
| Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday morning described the discovery of the bodies as a “horrible situation” that was “absolutely unacceptable.” | Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday morning described the discovery of the bodies as a “horrible situation” that was “absolutely unacceptable.” |
| “They have an obligation to the people they serve to treat them with dignity,” he said of funeral homes. “I have no idea in the world how any funeral home could let this happen.” | “They have an obligation to the people they serve to treat them with dignity,” he said of funeral homes. “I have no idea in the world how any funeral home could let this happen.” |
| Eric L. Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, said that he arrived at the AndrewT. Cleckley Funeral Home around 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday and found police officers and other investigators had sealed off the streets like a crime scene and were examining the tractor-trailer and the U-Haul. | Eric L. Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, said that he arrived at the AndrewT. Cleckley Funeral Home around 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday and found police officers and other investigators had sealed off the streets like a crime scene and were examining the tractor-trailer and the U-Haul. |
| “It appears the truck was full,” Mr. Adams said. “They were trying to use U-Haul as a backup.” | “It appears the truck was full,” Mr. Adams said. “They were trying to use U-Haul as a backup.” |
| He added, “This is traumatizing to family members.” | He added, “This is traumatizing to family members.” |
| Howard Zucker, the state health commissioner, said on Thursday that the Health Department had not received complaints about the funeral home in the past. He added that the agency was now investigating the business, which could face fines or have its license suspended. The Brooklyn district attorney’s office is also looking into the incident, a spokesman, Oren Yaniv, said. | Howard Zucker, the state health commissioner, said on Thursday that the Health Department had not received complaints about the funeral home in the past. He added that the agency was now investigating the business, which could face fines or have its license suspended. The Brooklyn district attorney’s office is also looking into the incident, a spokesman, Oren Yaniv, said. |
| The owner, Andrew T. Cleckley, said in an interview on Thursday that, like other funeral directors in New York, he had been overwhelmed by the relentless tide of bodies during the pandemic. Mr. Cleckley said he had used the trucks for overflow storage, but only after he had filled his chapel with more than 100 corpses. | The owner, Andrew T. Cleckley, said in an interview on Thursday that, like other funeral directors in New York, he had been overwhelmed by the relentless tide of bodies during the pandemic. Mr. Cleckley said he had used the trucks for overflow storage, but only after he had filled his chapel with more than 100 corpses. |
| “I ran out of space,” he said. “Bodies are coming out of our ears.” | “I ran out of space,” he said. “Bodies are coming out of our ears.” |
| State officials did not make clear what civil or criminal penalties Mr. Cleckley would face for allowing decedents entrusted to his care to decompose. Under state regulations, funeral directors are required to store bodies awaiting burial or cremation in appropriate conditions that prevent infection to others. | State officials did not make clear what civil or criminal penalties Mr. Cleckley would face for allowing decedents entrusted to his care to decompose. Under state regulations, funeral directors are required to store bodies awaiting burial or cremation in appropriate conditions that prevent infection to others. |
| Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, New York City’s death care system — its hospital mortuaries, cemeteries, crematories and city-run morgues — has been under an extraordinary strain, as beleaguered workers have tried to grapple with the single worst mass casualty event to hit New York since the Spanish flu pandemic of a century ago. | Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, New York City’s death care system — its hospital mortuaries, cemeteries, crematories and city-run morgues — has been under an extraordinary strain, as beleaguered workers have tried to grapple with the single worst mass casualty event to hit New York since the Spanish flu pandemic of a century ago. |
| Funeral directors have been caught between the onslaught of bodies pouring out of hospitals and nursing homes and the backlogs that make them unable to cremate or bury people quickly. Some funeral homes have had to use refrigerated trailers, like those that the city has provided to hospitals around New York. | Funeral directors have been caught between the onslaught of bodies pouring out of hospitals and nursing homes and the backlogs that make them unable to cremate or bury people quickly. Some funeral homes have had to use refrigerated trailers, like those that the city has provided to hospitals around New York. |
| But Mr. Cleckley said his parlor had been unable to purchase a refrigerated trailer because of shortages. | But Mr. Cleckley said his parlor had been unable to purchase a refrigerated trailer because of shortages. |
| Mr. Cleckley opened his funeral home in 2015 with his wife, Alva Stuart, and initially built a business serving other local morticians by transporting bodies to them from locations where people had died. But in 2017, he said, he started offering a full line of services, like embalming and cremation, to his partners. | Mr. Cleckley opened his funeral home in 2015 with his wife, Alva Stuart, and initially built a business serving other local morticians by transporting bodies to them from locations where people had died. But in 2017, he said, he started offering a full line of services, like embalming and cremation, to his partners. |
| Currently, he said, five other funeral homes use his storefront space, which, he said, caused him to be overwhelmed as deaths in New York reached a peak this month. Each of the other homes, he said, were in charge of as many as 30 or 40 bodies. | Currently, he said, five other funeral homes use his storefront space, which, he said, caused him to be overwhelmed as deaths in New York reached a peak this month. Each of the other homes, he said, were in charge of as many as 30 or 40 bodies. |
| Updated June 30, 2020 | |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | |
| Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles. | |
| A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. | |
| The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. | |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | |
| A website run by the state’s Department of Health listed Mr. Cleckley as a fully licensed funeral director. But the most recent certificate of operation for the address of his business, filed with the city’s Department of Buildings, mentions nothing about a funeral parlor. It said the first floor of his establishment, at 2037A Utica Avenue, was used for “automobile retail” and for “the manufacturing of machinery.” | A website run by the state’s Department of Health listed Mr. Cleckley as a fully licensed funeral director. But the most recent certificate of operation for the address of his business, filed with the city’s Department of Buildings, mentions nothing about a funeral parlor. It said the first floor of his establishment, at 2037A Utica Avenue, was used for “automobile retail” and for “the manufacturing of machinery.” |
| Mike Lanotte, the president of the New York Funeral Directors Association, said Mr. Cleckley was not a member of the organization. | Mike Lanotte, the president of the New York Funeral Directors Association, said Mr. Cleckley was not a member of the organization. |
| A Health Department spokeswoman, Erin Silk, said alternate arrangements for the remains were being made by the funeral home. It was unclear where the remains were taken. | A Health Department spokeswoman, Erin Silk, said alternate arrangements for the remains were being made by the funeral home. It was unclear where the remains were taken. |
| Mr. Cleckley said that more families have called him in April asking for his help than in an all of last year and acknowledged that he had taken on more work that he could handle. | Mr. Cleckley said that more families have called him in April asking for his help than in an all of last year and acknowledged that he had taken on more work that he could handle. |
| “We’re all trying to help our clients,” he said, “but we’re jammed up.” | “We’re all trying to help our clients,” he said, “but we’re jammed up.” |
| William K. Rashbaum and Edgar Sandoval contributed reporting. | William K. Rashbaum and Edgar Sandoval contributed reporting. |