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Crew Member Aboard U.S.N.S. Comfort Is Infected With Coronavirus Crew Member Aboard U.S.N.S. Comfort Is Infected With Coronavirus
(5 days later)
A crew member aboard the Navy hospital ship U.S.N.S. Comfort tested positive for the coronavirus, and several others have gone into isolation, the Navy said on Tuesday, the latest setback in the ship’s troubled mission to New York to assist in the response to the pandemic.A crew member aboard the Navy hospital ship U.S.N.S. Comfort tested positive for the coronavirus, and several others have gone into isolation, the Navy said on Tuesday, the latest setback in the ship’s troubled mission to New York to assist in the response to the pandemic.
News of the infection came a day after President Trump relented to pressure from New York hospitals and allowed the Comfort to begin accepting patients who had contracted the virus.News of the infection came a day after President Trump relented to pressure from New York hospitals and allowed the Comfort to begin accepting patients who had contracted the virus.
The ship arrived last week with great fanfare and was supposed to relieve pressure on New York’s overburdened hospitals by taking patients suffering from other ailments. But bureaucratic hurdles, as well as a sharp decline in hospitalizations unrelated to the virus, resulted in few patients being transferred to the ship.The ship arrived last week with great fanfare and was supposed to relieve pressure on New York’s overburdened hospitals by taking patients suffering from other ailments. But bureaucratic hurdles, as well as a sharp decline in hospitalizations unrelated to the virus, resulted in few patients being transferred to the ship.
By Thursday, the 1,000-bed ship had only 20 patients. The empty beds angered hospital leaders, whose facilities have been overwhelmed with people sick with Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.By Thursday, the 1,000-bed ship had only 20 patients. The empty beds angered hospital leaders, whose facilities have been overwhelmed with people sick with Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.
On Monday, Mr. Trump agreed that the Comfort would begin taking in people who tested positive for the virus.On Monday, Mr. Trump agreed that the Comfort would begin taking in people who tested positive for the virus.
A Navy spokeswoman said the discovery of an infected crew member would not affect the Comfort’s mission in New York. “It does not affect the ability of the Comfort to receive patients at all,” Elizabeth Baker, the spokeswoman, said.A Navy spokeswoman said the discovery of an infected crew member would not affect the Comfort’s mission in New York. “It does not affect the ability of the Comfort to receive patients at all,” Elizabeth Baker, the spokeswoman, said.
As of Tuesday morning, there were 44 patients on board, she said, meaning most of the Comfort’s beds still remained unused.As of Tuesday morning, there were 44 patients on board, she said, meaning most of the Comfort’s beds still remained unused.
The infected crew member, who was not publicly identified, was not a medical worker and had no contact with patients, Ms. Baker said. She said she did not know how the crew member was infected.The infected crew member, who was not publicly identified, was not a medical worker and had no contact with patients, Ms. Baker said. She said she did not know how the crew member was infected.
All members of the crew tested negative for the virus before leaving the Comfort’s port in Norfolk, Va., she said, and have not left the ship since arriving in New York.All members of the crew tested negative for the virus before leaving the Comfort’s port in Norfolk, Va., she said, and have not left the ship since arriving in New York.
With its dazzling white hull emblazoned with red crosses, the Comfort appeared as a beacon of hope when it sailed into New York Harbor last week. But it has since become a stark symbol of the halting and at times ham-handed efforts to combat a novel contagion that continues to confound medical science.With its dazzling white hull emblazoned with red crosses, the Comfort appeared as a beacon of hope when it sailed into New York Harbor last week. But it has since become a stark symbol of the halting and at times ham-handed efforts to combat a novel contagion that continues to confound medical science.
The ship arrived with a list of restrictions on patients that some hospital officials complained were so onerous that only healthy people would be allowed on board. When only a handful of patients could be transferred to the ship, the Defense Department eased those restrictions.The ship arrived with a list of restrictions on patients that some hospital officials complained were so onerous that only healthy people would be allowed on board. When only a handful of patients could be transferred to the ship, the Defense Department eased those restrictions.
All along, the goal was to prevent the virus from coming on board. In the end, it did anyway, in a testament to the virus’s perniciousness.All along, the goal was to prevent the virus from coming on board. In the end, it did anyway, in a testament to the virus’s perniciousness.
Five patients who were originally transferred to the Comfort after testing negative for the virus also eventually developed symptoms. Additional tests confirmed they had the disease.Five patients who were originally transferred to the Comfort after testing negative for the virus also eventually developed symptoms. Additional tests confirmed they had the disease.
Updated July 23, 2020 Updated July 27, 2020
Now, patients suffering most acutely from Covid-19, along with others in need of urgent care, are being transferred to the ship, while those less severely affected will remain at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, another spillover site operated by the Department of Defense in Manhattan. All patients must give consent before being transferred to the Defense Department run facilities.Now, patients suffering most acutely from Covid-19, along with others in need of urgent care, are being transferred to the ship, while those less severely affected will remain at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, another spillover site operated by the Department of Defense in Manhattan. All patients must give consent before being transferred to the Defense Department run facilities.
After the reconfiguration to accept Covid patients, the ship will have 500 beds, plus an additional 100 intensive care unit beds equipped with ventilators, Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, the commander of U.S. Second Fleet, said at a briefing with reporters on Tuesday.After the reconfiguration to accept Covid patients, the ship will have 500 beds, plus an additional 100 intensive care unit beds equipped with ventilators, Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, the commander of U.S. Second Fleet, said at a briefing with reporters on Tuesday.
The Javits Center also has 42 ventilators and is expecting another 48 to come online in the coming days, said Maj. Gen. William A. Hall, who is overseeing operations there.The Javits Center also has 42 ventilators and is expecting another 48 to come online in the coming days, said Maj. Gen. William A. Hall, who is overseeing operations there.
To mitigate the dangers onboard the Comfort, the ship has been divided into two zones, with the medical zone completely isolated from other areas of the ship. Medical workers, who had been confined to the Comfort, will now be bussed each day to and from a local hotel in the city to reduce the number of crew members in common areas of the ship.To mitigate the dangers onboard the Comfort, the ship has been divided into two zones, with the medical zone completely isolated from other areas of the ship. Medical workers, who had been confined to the Comfort, will now be bussed each day to and from a local hotel in the city to reduce the number of crew members in common areas of the ship.
“Taking on more patients as quickly as possible is critical to helping the City of New York during this pandemic crisis,” Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, the commander of U.S. Second Fleet, said in a statement. “We listened to the feedback from area health professionals and the community and believe this is the best way we can help our fellow Americans.”“Taking on more patients as quickly as possible is critical to helping the City of New York during this pandemic crisis,” Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, the commander of U.S. Second Fleet, said in a statement. “We listened to the feedback from area health professionals and the community and believe this is the best way we can help our fellow Americans.”
The Defense Department also announced on Tuesday that it was rushing additional reinforcements to New York City to assist front-line medical workers. More than 300 military medical workers have been sent to the city’s 11 public hospitals, and additional overflow medical sites are being established in adjacent countries, said Jonathan Hoffman, a department spokesman.The Defense Department also announced on Tuesday that it was rushing additional reinforcements to New York City to assist front-line medical workers. More than 300 military medical workers have been sent to the city’s 11 public hospitals, and additional overflow medical sites are being established in adjacent countries, said Jonathan Hoffman, a department spokesman.