Coronavirus News: Crews ready Meadowlands medical station in NJ for patients
SECAUCUS, New Jersey (WABC) -- Governor Murphy toured the Meadowlands Exposition Center Thursday morning where they have already begun to set up this field medical station.
Pictures show the 250-bed setup inside the exposition center, which will be a facility for non-coronavirus patients who need hospital care.
This is one of 4 that will be set up throughout the state.
Similar to the Javits Center in Manhattan, the medical station will relieve some of the load from the brick and mortar hospitals. The one in the Meadowlands will open next week.
The situation in New Jersey is taking a turn for the worse. Governor Murphy reported more than 355 deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, 91 of them in one day.
"The surge is beginning to occur in the northern part of the state. (Tuesday) night, seven hospitals in the northern part of the state reported to the Department of Health they were on divert status. That was divert status for various reasons. Some due to overcrowding in their emergency rooms and some due to overall high census," Health Commissioner Judy Persicelli said.
Four cities are taking some aggressive measures to combat the virus. The mayors of East Orange, Orange, Irvington and Newark will jointly enforce complete lockdowns on their communities for seven days starting Tuesday.
Until then, non-essential and non-emergency travel is barred on the streets of these communities.
Officers are breaking up groups who were not social distancing. Violators will face summonses and other legal action.
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