A harsh reminder: 8 pages of obituaries printed Sunday in New Orleans newspaper

The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate printed eight-and-a-half pages of obituaries Sunday, almost double the amount normally published.

Several of the obituaries mention coronavirus, or COVID-19. Even more included notices that funeral services will be private because of the pandemic. Some mentioned hopes of having more traditional memorials at a later time.

On the same weekend last year, there were about four pages devoted to obituaries.

Metro New Orleans has been one of the areas hit hardest by the virus.

On Sunday, deaths related to the infectious disease increased by five in Orleans Parish, bringing the total count to 329. In Jefferson Parish, seven new deaths were reported for a total of 282 deaths. The state’s death total is now at 1,296 after 29 more were reported Sunday.

But trends in the reported data over the past week suggest that the rate of infection has continued to slow.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said on April 9 that the city had requested 20 refrigerated units to store bodies of those who had died of the coronavirus and currently had 10 supplied by the state set up.

The city is also establishing a temporary morgue on the property next to the Coroners’ Office and working on securing additional sites to handle the expected toll of the virus.

Several New Orleans businesses have asked Cantrell to reopen the city despite the coronavirus threat.