1,000-bed USNS Mercy in Port of Los Angeles admits total of 15 patients so far

[mystery-ak]

The U.S. Navy hospital ship Mercy has treated a total of 15 patients since it arrived at the Port of Los Angeles last Friday, according to the ship's commanding officer.

The 1,000-bed hospital ship is treating patients with non-COVID-19 ailments in an effort to relieve the stress of L.A. area hospitals that are dealing with the rising number of novel coronavirus cases.

Mercy's commanding officer Capt. John Rotruck said Thursday in a call with reporters that there are currently 10 patients on the ship and five have been discharged.

Rotruck said patients are transferred after being referred to by the hospitals through a county medical alert center, which the Mercy has been added to.

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/1-000-bed-usns-mercy-in-port-of-los-angeles-admits-total-of-15-patients-so-far/ar-BB127PYa

[Smokin Joe]

Just like the Comfort, the Mercy is set up for trauma patients, battlefield wounded, and not infectious disease patients, which have to be physically separated by greater distances, partitions, and require a different level of PPE and biosecurity.

In addition, disinfecting a ship is far more difficult than disinfecting land based facilities.

For that reason, the hospital ships, so often used to provide relief in natural disasters (often trauma, seldom communicable disease) were provided to lift the trauma load from the municipalities to which they were assigned.

It really isn't the Navy's fault that shelter in place orders and work from home policies have so severely cut the number of gunshot wounds and accident victims, the more usual ER fare.

[truth_seeker]

The two big hospital ships were intended to supplement local hospital capacity if needed.


So far it looks like early implementation of distancing has worked, unlike in Northern Italy.

We cannot fully analyze the US until the end.

I find it ghoulish to gloat over too few people being hospitalized, yet.

[Smokin Joe]

The two big hospital ships were intended to supplement local hospital capacity if needed.


So far it looks like early implementation of distancing has worked, unlike in Northern Italy.

We cannot fully analyze the US until the end.

I find it ghoulish to gloat over too few people being hospitalized, yet.

Trauma patients can be stacked in almost like cordwood, elbow to elbow. Not so with infectious diseases.
The ships are set up for battlefield wounded--trauma patients--not contagious diseases.