Military deploying medical personnel as Texas sees spike in coronavirus patientsThe US military announced Monday it is sending approximately 50 medical and support personnel to the San Antonio area at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a sign of potential concern that civilian medical personnel could be overwhelmed by the rise in coronavirus cases in Texas.
The personnel, from the 627th Hospital Center in Carson, Colorado, will "provide medical assistance by embedding in medical care facilities in the San Antonio, Texas area," according to a statement from the US Northern Command, which oversees US military operations in North America.
"The medical personnel include emergency room and critical care nurses, respiratory specialists and support personnel," the statement continued.
The deployment marks a return to military efforts to directly combat the worsening pandemic, a move previously associated with dire hot spots of the virus. In April, the military dispatched hundreds of medical personnel to embed in hospitals primarily in the New York City area -- previously one of areas hit hardest by the pandemic -- as well as elsewhere.
Texas has seen over 194,900 cases and 2,600 deaths from the virus, making it one of the leaders among the 32 states reporting higher rates of new cases this week compared to the last, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The state is expected to see nearly 2,000 new hospitalizations per day by mid-July, according to forecasts published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ......
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/06/politics/military-medic-personnel-texas-coronavirus/index.html
