Texas asking FEMA for 5 mortuary trucks to store bodies of COVID victims

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Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Texas asking FEMA for mortuary trucks
The video above shows the trucks requested last year, when morgues were rapidly filling up.

AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- As the delta variant continues to rage in Texas, the state is now asking FEMA for five mortuary trailers to store bodies of COVID-19 victims, according to KEYE in Austin.

The video player above shows what those trucks look like.

The request is precautionary and a part of disaster planning, but it's a glimpse of how serious the situation is.

As hospitalizations continue to increase, the Houston area is seeing a real impact on wait times at emergency rooms.

In fact, ABC13 found hundreds of patients have been admitted to the hospital but were left waiting for a bed.

Some hospitals in the Houston area have even said that the latest wave of COVID cases is pushing the health care system to nearly a "breaking point," resulting in some patients having to be transferred out of the city to get medical care.

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What to know about delta and other COVID-19 variants of concern

COVID cases pushing Houston hospitals to near breaking point

Patients waiting hours for beds as hospitals max out capacity