New York has become the focal point for the coronavirus in the United States. With over 74,000 reported cases, New York hospitals have quickly become overcrowded. In response, New York City landmarks have been converted into temporary make-shift hospitals.
At least three popular city landmarks have been turned into temporary hospitals so far. According to NBC News, Mayor Bill de Blasio indicated that New York City will see even more of these makeshift medical centers.
"We're going to use every place we need to use to help people," de Blasio told reporters Sunday. "This is the kind of thing you will see now as this crisis develops."
A 14-tent hospital has been set up in Central Park near Mount Sinai Hospital. It includes 68 beds and a 10-bed intensive care unit. Each bed provides its own ventilator. The hospital is staffed by 60 to 70 medical professionals who have volunteered to help patients who were not able to check into a proper hospital.
The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the cite renown for holding the U.S. Open, has started converting into a 350-bed hospital early on Tuesday.
"I'm looking forward to the day when this is going to be a place for tennis again," de Blasio said in a conference held at the tennis center. "But in the meantime, I'm inspired by the fact that people are stepping up."
The Javits Convention Center has been turned into the city's largest make-shift hospital, with 2,500 beds to house sick patients. The center started to receive its first patients earlier this week.
"Javits Center's done many magnificent exhibitions and transformations, and they never cease to amaze me, but this is a transformation that I don't think anyone could ever anticipate," Cuomo said Monday.
The city received even further help after the Navy hospital ship, known as the Comfort, docked in Manhattan on Monday. The 1,000-bed ship is currently accepting patients who not infected with COVID-19 in order to free more hospital space for those who infected.
"We knew from the outset that expanded hospital capacity was critical," Cuomo tweeted Monday. "We asked and the federal government answered."
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
