Washington: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced to deploy two Navy Hospital Ships to fast track the treatment of a rapidly surging number of patients infected by deadly coronavirus that has so far taken the lives of 110 Americans.
Trump said he has ordered for deployment of Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort to New York while the other USNS Mercy is being prepared to deploy to the West Coast.
"We are sending upon request the two hospital ships they are being prepared right now; they are massive ships. They are the big white ships with the Red Cross on the sides. One is called the Mercy and the other is called the Comfort and they are in the tip-top shape they soon will be, they are getting ready to come up to New York," Trump told at a press conference.
The Comfort, he said, is currently stationed in San Diego and the administration will be picking the destination fairly shortly.
"So those two ships are being prepared to go and they can be launched over the next week or so depending on need," he said.
Defence secretary Mark Esper who was also present at the press conference said he has directed that the two hospital ships be prepared to deploy to increase the nation's medical capacity.
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"We have also alerted a variety of field and expeditionary hospitals to be prepared to deploy as well as needed based on direction from the commander-in-chief," he said.
The Army Corps of Engineers leadership was in New York having a meeting with Governor Andrew Cuomo and his team to address their needs, he said.
Esper said the Department of Defence will make available up to five million N95 respirator masks and other personal protective equipment from its strategic reserves to the Department of Health and Human Services for distribution.
The first one million masks will be available immediately, he said adding the Department of Defence is also prepared to distribute up to 2,000 operational deployable ventilators for use as needed.
"In my conversations with governors and members of Congress about DOD's resources, I've made it clear that we will continue to support the admin restrictions comprehensive efforts in the country every step of the way while ensuring our national security remains the top priority," Esper said.
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(With inputs from PTI)
