The Navy hospital ship docked at a New York City pier is preparing to take in more critical patients overnight, according to its medical commanding officer.
“We have, I believe, around 10 ICU-level vented patients headed our way … from one of the local hospitals,” Captain Patrick Amersbach of the United States Naval Ship (USNS) Comfort told CNN’s Don Lemon late Tuesday night.
Amersbach did not say whether those patients have coronavirus infections.
The Comfort originally was only going to accept non-Covid-19 patients, but that restriction was rescinded Monday night.
A crew member who has not been in contact with patients tested positive for Covid-19, but this will not affect the ability for the Comfort to receive patients, Amersbach said.
As a precaution, he says, the medical treatment areas of the Comfort are being isolated from the rest of the ship, and some crew members will be lodging in local hotel rooms instead of staying aboard throughout the day.