Council building temporary mortuary in east London as coronavirus deaths rise

Newham Council said the site would ‘act as a holding point’ for victims, but that relatives would not be able to visit the bodies of loved ones.

A temporary mortuary is to be built in east London as the number of deaths from Covid-19 in the UK surpassed 2,000.

Newham Council said on Tuesday that work had started on the site which would “act as a holding point” before burial or cremation can take place – but that family members would not be able to visit the bodies of their loved ones.