See inside makeshift hospital set up at El Paso convention center
EL PASO, Texas — State emergency management officials offered an inside look Wednesday as a portion of the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center gets turned into a makeshift hospital to help with the ongoing surge of coronavirus cases.
Texas officials provided video and photos as 50 hospital beds were being set up in the convention center, with the potential to add another 50 beds if needed.
Gov. Greg Abbott recently ordered utilizing the convention center as an alternate care site in order to expand hospital capacity in the El Paso area in response to the coronavirus surge.
The site is scheduled to open sometime later this week, and it will provide additional medical equipment and medical personnel.
The state has already provided over 900 medical personnel to El Paso, some of whom will be staffing the convention center site.
Abbott has said "the alternate care site and auxiliary medical units will reduce the strain on hospitals in El Paso as we contain the spread of Covid-19 in the region."
El Paso health officials on Wednesday reported setting new records with more than 900 virus hospitalizations and over 200 patients in ICUs due to the virus.
(The Associated Press contributed background to this report.)
As announced by @GovAbbott, the @ElPasoTXGov Convention Center is being converted into a health care facility to expand hospital capacity in El Paso.
— Texas Division of Emergency Management (@TDEM) October 28, 2020
The State of Texas is also providing local hospitals with auxiliary medical units, medical staffing, and medical equipment. pic.twitter.com/3wYyaOfqMF
