Faced with the growing number of patients in New York, an emergency hospital was set up in Central Park, in the heart of the city, and a military hospital ship docked in the port of Manhattan.
- In New York, in a single day, there was one death every 17 minutes.
- Hospitals struggle to cope with massive influx of patients
New York is the American city most affected by the coronavirus with 776 dead and 33,000 cases, according to the latest figures dating from Monday March 30. That’s about one death every 17 minutes from Covid-19 in the Big Apple. To help hospitals cope with the massive influx of patients, major means have been deployed.
A back-up hospital in Central Park
To support the establishments of the city overwhelmed by the influx of patients, an emergency hospital is installed in Central Park, in the heart of Manhattan. This backup hospital can accommodate 68 patients suffering from Covid-19. In the various tents that form this emergency hospital, there are intensive care units equipped with artificial respirators and a total of 70 doctors, nurses and technicians from all over the country. “We hope to be operational within 48 hours and ready to receive patients”said Dr. Elliott Tenpenny, team coordinator, on Monday.
This field hospital in the heart of the city was created by the humanitarian organization Samaritan’s Purse, an evangelical organization based in North Carolina. The location of this hospital was not chosen at random since it is located near a hospital center not far from Central Park, in the East Harlem district. An emergency hospital in the Javits Center conference center is also due to open on Monday. Four other sites across the city have been approved to unload hospitals, overwhelmed in recent days by the influx of patients.
A field hospital built in Central Park in 48 hours. Specially designed for Covid-19 patients, the place has a capacity of 68 beds #AFP pic.twitter.com/0Clmjfzwd7
— Eléonore Sens (@EleonoreSens) March 30, 2020
A military hospital ship to relieve congestion
Added to this is a military hospital ship, which arrived in the port of Manhattan on Monday. With a capacity of 1,000 beds, the USNS Comfort will contribute to the effort to decongest New York hospitals. In total, it has a dozen operating rooms for a nursing staff of 1,200 people who can accommodate patients in intensive care for reasons other than Covid-19. “The fact that the navy is there, that the army is there to help New York at a time when our city is in need, it is very important. (…) For the people of the city who have been through a lot in recent weeks, it boosts morale. It is very emotional for all of us, we need help”commented the mayor of the city, Bill de Blasio.
USNS Comfort has arrived in NYC. It’s passing World Trade Center right now on the Hudson River. I can hear cheering from Jersey City. pic.twitter.com/a7kTK2dmQh
— Kevin Rincon (@KevRincon) March 30, 2020
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