Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Implement the indications of the Ministry of Health. Councilor Cocco: "Necessary measure due to the increase in deaths starting from the second half of March"

Milan, 2 April 2020 – Temporary closure of the Crematorium of the Municipality of Milan. Ordinance no. 18/2020 implements the indications of the Ministry of Health related to the Coronavirus emergency regarding the funeral, cemetery and cremation sector, establishing that, starting from tomorrow and until 30 April, new entries will no longer be authorized in the Lambrate crematorium centre.

The new provision supersedes ordinance no. 16/2020 (interruption of service for non-resident citizens who died in Milan), extending the interruption also to residents, due to the constant and progressive increase in the deceased awaiting cremation which, currently, stands at around 20 days but which, if this threshold is exceeded, could cause critical health and hygiene issues. 

To help families in this difficult moment, starting from tomorrow, Friday 3 April, it will be possible to bury their loved ones without costs or proceed with their burial in a columbarium with the sole payment of the concession fees for the building.

The relatives of the deceased who die in hospital or in social welfare facilities must make arrangements for the body within three days from the date of death, otherwise the Administration will proceed with the burial. 

Overall in the January-March quarter, the Milanese deaths were 4.459 in 2020, 3.888 in 2019 and 3.929 in 2018. In the month of March 2020 the deaths of Milanese residents were 2.155 (data to be updated), while there were 1.224 in 2019 and 1.206 in 2018.

“The data shows that even in Milan we are experiencing an increase in deaths - declares the councilor for Civic Services Roberta Cocco -. The months of January and February and the first half of March are in line with previous years but, starting from the second half of March, we have observed a notable increase, also due to the deaths more than doubling among the guests of the city's RSAs and in private homes. Increases that have saturated the capacity of the Lambrate Crematorium, thus determining the forced closure in an already very difficult and painful moment for everyone. Our employees in the funeral and cemetery sector are working tirelessly and with a very high sense of responsibility to ensure that all the necessary activities are carried out. The entire municipal administration would like to thank them." 

The circular from the Ministry of Health also establishes the closure to the public of all cemeteries in the national territory.