Buying Time: California Preparing For Expected Surge In Coronavirus Patients
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to address at his daily press conference on Monday preparations for an expected surge of coronavirus cases by the end of the month.
Experts say early and aggressive shelter-in-place orders may have spared California's health care system from running out of hospital beds, but the system will still face enormous strain.
There may still be shortages looming of ventilators and other essential equipment, experts warn.
Part of the preparation work already announced by Newsom is turning Sacramento's old Sleep Train Arena site into a field hospital.
About 360 hospital beds will be set up inside the old Kings arena in Natomas. The beds will be for both coronavirus patients and trauma care patients.
Over the weekend, the number of people infected with the coronavirus in the US jumped to more than 300,000.
Federal health officials are warning the next two weeks could be more crucial.