Deseret News is tracking developments related to the coronavirus pandemic across the United States and around the world. Refresh this feed for updates as news comes in throughout the day.
California to protect homeless by moving them into hotel rooms
3:30 p.m.
Homeless Californians have begun moving into hotel rooms to isolate and protect themselves from the coronavirus pandemic, The Washington Post reported.
On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state wanted to procure 15,000 total rooms and it had acquired nearly half of that goal. Around 800 individuals have already moved into the hotels.
Custodial and laundry services will be provided, as will food in some cases. Most occupancy agreements last three or four months, the Post reported, and include options of extension or purchase.
The program is supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has agreed to reimburse California for 75% of the cost of the project. The balance will be funded with emergency grants and aid, according to the governor.
“What we want to do is relieve the stress in our shelter system,” said Newsom. “If left unaddressed, we allow our most vulnerable residents in the state of California to be exposed to this virus.”
Navy hospital ship not providing much comfort in New York
1:30 p.m.
The USNS Comfort, a 1,000 bed hospital ship docked in New York City, remained nearly unused on Thursday, refusing emergency coronavirus patients even as the city’s hospitals were overwhelmed, The New York Times reported.
Twenty patients had been transferred to the floating hospital by late Thursday. The ship arrived to New York City on Monday.
Because the the military vessel isn’t accepting coronavirus patients directly from the city’s busy ambulances or patients with any of 49 disqualifying medical conditions, very few of New York’s ill are making it aboard.
As New Yorkers spend more time indoors and obeying orders to remain socially distanced, there are fewer accidents that would normally require emergency care. But that doesn’t mean the city’s hospitals aren’t busy.
The Times reports that hospitals are “overrun” by coronavirus patients — some of whom have died in hallways waiting for a ventilator — and medical staff are forced to reuse personal protective equipment.
In a Pentagon briefing Wednesday, military officials said there were dozens of ventilators on the Comfort.
“If you’re not going to help us with the people we need help with, what’s the purpose?” said Michael Dowling, the head of New York’s largest hospital system.
Docked in Los Angeles, California, the USNS Mercy was treating 15 patients on Thursday, according to The New York Times.