3 months ago in Local Denise Vozella Photo: WHMP
BOSTON (AP) – The coronavirus field hospital in Worcester has expanded to 75 beds and has treated 275 patients since reopening last month. The field hospital run by UMass Memorial Health Care first treated patients last spring. UMass Memorial President Dr. Eric Dickson said Wednesday that all told, nearly 500 patients were treated at the field hospital in 2020. Meanwhile the state reported that the number of newly confirmed coronavirus deaths rose by 99 on Wednesday while the number of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased by more than 6,419. The new deaths pushed the state’s confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 12,563.
Worcester field hospital treats 275 patients, will expand sfchronicle.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sfchronicle.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
COVID field hospital at Worcester DCU Center has treated 275 patients since reopening in December
Updated Jan 06, 2021;
The coronavirus field hospital at the DCU Center in Worcester has expanded to 75 beds and has treated 275 patients since reopening at the beginning of December, officials said.
Run by UMass Memorial Health Care, the field hospital first treated patients last spring during the initial surge of the virus. In November, as COVID-19 cases rose in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker announced the Central Massachusetts arena would open again as a field hospital.
Between the spring and since admitting patients again last month, nearly 500 coronavirus patients were treated at the field hospital in 2020, UMMHC President Dr. Eric Dickson said during a virtual town hall meeting on Wednesday. In the spring, the center also served as a shelter for homeless individuals.
Weekly cost to run Worcester DCU Center as COVID field hospital estimated around $28,000, documents say
Updated Dec 31, 2020;
For the second time this year, Worcester’s DCU Center has become an integral part of the city’s mitigation of COVID-19 and transformed into a field hospital for patients suffering from the virus.
UMass Memorial Health Care is running the field hospital at the arena. While the physical space is being provided free of cost to UMass Memorial for at least two months, the health care system will be billed for other costs to run the field hospital, estimated to cost tens of thousands each week, according to documents.
The city of Worcester appears to already be seeing the repercussions of Christmas gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic. City officials reported 335 new positive cases on Wednesday alone, its highest single-day mark yet.