Yucatan funeral homes report increase in cremations

Mérida, Yucatán, (June 29, 2021).- The demand for funeral services in Merida had a slight increase in the last weeks of June, with an average attendance of around 15 services per day, between Covid-19 deaths and pneumonia, revealed the Yucatan Funeral Association.

The president of this organization, Alejandro Espadas Villajuana, indicated that although the increase in demand is indeed notorious, they are far from what was achieved in July and August of last year, considered until now as the most critical months in terms of deaths because of the pandemic.

“The demand is growing because of the Covid; What sometimes happens is that the patient, having a long illness of this disease, at the time of taking the blood sample no longer has the active virus and, then, if he dies, it is classified as death from pneumonia, it is said, that the virus left its aftermath ”, he explained.

He said that deaths from the pandemic are also on the rise since the middle of this month since an average of 15 are treated for Covid or pneumonia throughout the State.

Deaths do not enter official statistics

He shared that in some small communities, funeral homes have reported that deaths have skyrocketed, in particular of people who did not reach the hospital or who die in their homes, many of which are considered deaths from pneumonia, which is why they do not enter the official statistics.

Despite this, he clarified that most of the 72 funeral companies that operate in the entity have sufficient capacity to deal with the pandemic, since the worst “moment” of the disease occurred in July and August 2020, regarding deaths.

“We have not had any problems so far, we have not reached the figures we had in July and August of last year, but unfortunately infections are to be considered, so we must raise awareness to take care of ourselves and not get sick, the wearing a mask is essential ”, he pointed out.

Espadas Villajuana considered that such long confinement has been quite tiring for young people and at this point, the economic reactivation process could no longer be stopped, but the key is to take care of each other and avoid deaths from this disease in families.

He added that in Mérida most of the families of people who die from coronavirus opt for cremation, while in the interior of the State they opt more for burial, but in the municipalities that do have it authorized.