MEDFORD, Ore. — The spike in Covid-19 cases is leading some Providence hospitals to set up surge tents and temporary morgues.
Providence announced on Friday it’s doing extensive planning to deal with the surge of patients.
It’s taking two steps at its largest hospitals, Providence Portland Medical Center and Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.
Both of them are staging temporary morgue units and setting up surge tents for additional spaces in emergency departments.
The hospital says it recognizes the need to plan for a worst-case scenario.
“Our doctors and nurses have been under constant amount of stress since the spring but over the last several weeks, this is the most severe I’ve seen it since the start of the pandemic in Oregon,” said Dr. Justin Jin, Providence infectious disease physician.
Providence says it’s also worked to make sure Covid-19 patients can now be cared for in medical and surgical beds as opposed to intensive care units.
Currently, Providence says it’s caring for 90 people in its Oregon hospitals who are either Covid-19 positive or suspected of having the virus.
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